A Petal Among Thorns UNDER REVISION
by keyblader41996
Summary: Rosa Joanna Farrell has joined Cosmos' ranks in the war of the gods, much to Cecil's dismay. After a random encounter with the Emperor, Rosa finds herself and the other warriors ensnared in the Emperor's schemes to lord over the cycle. It's up to her to stop him before it's too late. ***BE WARNED MILD SPOILERS FOR FFIV***
1. Chapter 1

Another new cycle. And the last hadn't ended in Cosmos' favor. Hardly any of them did anymore. Not that Cecil knew just _how_ many cycles he'd been through. He just knew he'd survived there long enough to see several cycles, and reclaim most of what he'd lost; the pieced memories slowly connected into the _almost_ complete puzzle of his recollection.

He stood with the Warrior of Light in the Lunar Subterraine. Remaining there sometimes pulled a last memory or two out of hiding, and Warrior was always nice enough to extend their patrol, giving him some extra time there. But nothing came to light this time. Just as he moved to go, the whole place seemed to brighten. The air thickened and shimmered with the coming of the wretched Shinryu, marking the beginning of a new war. Neither spoke as they watched the glittering scene. The sky emitted one last bright flash of gold as the Dragon returned with the restored fallen, then it was gone, as suddenly as it came. Finally, Warrior broke their morbidly awed silence.

"Come. Let us return to Cosmos. Our patrol is over . . . " Anticipation crept into his normally controlled tone. A new cycle was always met with anxiousness; were there any new warriors? Who survived Purification? Who hadn't? For the 'seasoned' ones, as they were called, it was as easy as looking around. Who was there before, that wasn't there now? Who had memories; who did not? And who were the new warriors, freshly plucked from their probably wonderful lives?

Cecil cared deeply for his companions' states at the turn of a cycle. Each time someone woke with no memories of themselves or their comrades, it wrenched his heart, and pity panged in his gut like a sword blow. He always did what he could to help those who had forgotten. Their apparent relief at the thought of a friend warmed him, and typically replaced the sadness with a feeling of obligation; that he _had_ to help his comrades. That was usually enough to take his mind off of all _he_ had remembered, all that he had left behind due to Cosmos' need of him.

* * *

Warrior cast a worried glance to Cecil. The Paladin was at it again.

At first, Cecil had been elated over the return of buried memories. He refused to stop talking about it. "I remember now!" he would cry, or, "Edge! Edge was that ninja's name!" "My brother, he helped us at the end of our battle." "Rosa, she was . . . my wife . . . I loved her very, _very_ much . . . " The pleased knight's tones became more and more somber with each memory.

Until he stopped telling them completely.

He would be fine one moment, laughing with them, sharing moments and creating new memories with them, then his mood would shift rapidly. The bright eyes would glaze slightly, and the proud gait of a self-assured man would slump into the downcast trudge of an empty person. He would lose himself in bouts of reverie that left him oblivious to the world around him.

And he was doing it again.

On more than one occasion he walked straight into a manikin ambush, and didn't hear his companions' shouts for him until he took a blow or two from the manikins. He walked with that same defeated amble, his blank stare fixated on the ground in front of him.

Yes, he was at it again.

His eyebrows furrowed, no doubt in recollection of something that once again troubled him.

" _Sometimes_ ," thought the Warrior as he stared at his tormented comrade, " _it is simply better to have forgotten_."

* * *

 _Rosa. There, standing in his room. He stared out the window to the turrets and ramparts of the castle below, mad and upset with himself._

 _"Cecil of the Red Wings is many things," she said, "but he is no coward. Not the Cecil who I love . . . "_

"Cecil!" Warrior's deep, deliberate voice broke through the fog of the fresh memory. He blinked, and shook his head. The memory of her, his wife, his Rose, his everything, still swam before his eyes.

Rosa.

Just the mention of her name set his heart aflame with the passion they had once shared before he was called. Her beauty was unparalleled in Baron, in the entire Overworld. Unmatched by Aphrodite; Venus did not compare. Inanna, Freyja, all of them trumped by the love of his life.

"Cecil," repeated Warrior, once again cutting through his thoughts. "We are here."

He hadn't even realized they reached Sanctuary.

Cosmos was seated at her usual position on the throne, but beside Cosmos stood a tall woman with golden-blonde hair done half up in a bun atop her head. Her cape had two layers; the bottom was of sheer white cloth with gold embroidery hemming the bottom. The top layer was waist-length, thick, gold cloth, secured by white pauldrons with gold spikes. Her hair cascaded gently between the spikes as she brushed a piece behind her ear. From under the sheer cape was purple and grey shin-length heeled boots. A knife was strapped to her belt, a staff and quiver of arrows across her back, and a bow in her hands.

"A new warrior?" Cecil asked, still in a bit of a daze from thinking of Rosa. "Just one?"

Warrior frowned, understanding Cecil's implications. He tactfully ignored them. "Come, let us meet her." Warrior said confidently, striding forward with Cecil in tow. He stood before the goddess and dropped to a knee. "Cosmos," He bowed his head to her. "Ma'am," he added to the unknown soldier. He looked up into her face and faltered momentarily, then hastily stood.

Cecil stepped up to do the same when the woman spun, her green eyes locking directly with his blue.

His breath caught in his lungs. His jaw fell open as he choked on his polite introduction. His eyes captured every inch of her; her tights running up her legs, the purple patterned strip that covered her loins, the sheer gold skirt pulled to one side, the patterned white halter top that laid fitted against her perfect, slim figure. He staggered back several steps as his eyes reconnected with hers. His lips mouthed her name but no sound escaped, and he melted beneath her powerfully beautiful and perfect features, just as the first time they saw each other, when she stole his affections.

"R-Rosa!"

* * *

A/N: Hey readers! This is a fic I've been working on for almost two years now! I've been waiting to post it until it was fully completed - it's fully written and typed up so updates will come VERY quickly, which makes me happy and hopefully you too! If you have time, make sure you leave a review, good or bad! One last thing: the HORIZONTAL page break represents either a time skip or someone else's p.o.v. It's really not that hard to discern the difference, I don't think. Let me know if it is, and I'll find some way to fix that. Thanks so much!

-Keyblader41996


	2. Chapter 2

Rosa?! Warrior looked sharply to Cecil before he could help himself. Rosa was his wife from Baron! He barely stopped talking about her. Yet there she was before the two of them, her beautiful features so stunningly eye-catching Warrior nearly abandoned decency and stared. He pulled his gaze from the woman and looked back to Cecil.

For a second he looked absolutely destroyed. Then, relief colored his flushed face.

"Rosa!" The word escaped his lips. "Rosa! I'm so glad to see you!" He stepped towards her.

She stepped back. "Yes, I am Rosa," she said, caution creeping into her tone. "But who are you? How do you know me?"

His smile faltered. He stepped towards her again. "Rosa . . . "

Again, she took a step back, hand creeping towards the hilt of her knife.

The smile vanished completely, replaced with troubled shock. His blue eyes bore pleadingly into her green. "Rosa, d-don't you recognize me-" Realization flushed his face again. A cold chill wracked his spine as his throat seized with understanding.

She didn't remember because she was _here_.

She was _here_ because Cosmos had called her.

" _Sh-she is my wife!_ " he thought, " _Why did she have to be called?!_ "

He may have missed her, missed her so deeply that his heart hurt with longing when he thought of her shining face he was never to see, missed her so desperately that he could barely focus in battle at the mere mention of her name. He may have missed her, but her being _here_ was the _last_ thing he wanted. He would never wish the twisted, methodical logic of this repetitive world upon any other.

Especially Rosa.

Never Rosa.

"Cecil?" asked Warrior.

"Your name is Cecil?" Rosa questioned. She frowned as her hand dropped back to her side. He quickly peered into her face, but Cecil could see no spark of recognition in her eyes. Only that frown.

Cecil's dread of her calling turned to instant fury. His hands clenched at his sides. " _Why?_ " he thought bitterly. " _Why her?!_ "

Of all the worlds she had to choose from, Cosmos had chosen his. Of all the heroes scattered across their many realms, she chose Rosa. She chose the woman he cared for more than _anyone_ in the worlds to fight in the cycles.

His spear solidified in his grip. Rosa jumped back and pulled out her knife, but Cecil shoved past Warrior and pointed it directly at Cosmos' throat.

"Why?!" he yelled. Her gaze dropped to her clasped hands in her lap.

"I never meant to hurt you . . . " she said in her voice of silk. He pressed the tip to her skin.

"WHY?!" Louder that time. She raised her chin at the touch of cool metal and stared into his eyes, the sky blue of hers fighting and swirling with the royal blue of his.

"Because I needed her. That is all. I am sorry."

Cecil pulled back to strike the goddess.


	3. Chapter 3

"My lord Chaos," Garland said reverently, falling to one knee before the monstrous god of discord.

The Emperor chuckled at Garland's pitiful submission to the deity before them, then knelt with the rest of them. Hm. How pathetic. The only one kneeling in true servitude of their 'master' was Garland. It was amusing, really. He clung to every word of the monster as though his very _being_ depended upon the god's advice. The rest knelt in sheer terror. Especially Golbez. That sorry excuse for a vessel of hatred was probably quaking in his armor. Even Kefka, who had a comment for _everything_ , remained silent in the presence of Chaos.

As for him, he'd seen far too many of them punished for speaking out of turn to attempt it.

"I have gathered the others as you commanded. You wished to speak with us?"

A distant grunt and a dismissive wave of one of his hands, and they all rose.

"A new cycle dawns in this world," Chaos rumbled. Jecht cracked his knuckles in anticipation amongst other voices of approval. "The heroes of harmony scrabble desperately for a foothold in this conflict, still under the impression that they can, somehow, _win_ these battles-"

Kefka cupped a hand around his mouth. "BOOOOOOO!" his voice echoed through the edge of madness. Jecht raised a fist to agree, until the cold gazes of the others convinced him otherwise. "S-Sorry," he muttered, flipping in mid-air and touching down, gesturing at the god. "Carry on."

"We are on the brink of absolute victory. You know what I ask of you: extinguish the light. Only then can you claim this world to discord."

'Extinguish the light?' Well of _course_ they want to 'extinguish the light!' That was their purpose for being called there in the first place! Chaos had brought him there for _this_ speech? He hadn't even called new warriors! A waste of his valuable time. He had plans. Plans he was eager to set into motion. He'd been saving his strength, waiting for the right moment. Once Cosmos and her ants were crushed, and Chaos sat goading in his throne, he would be strong enough to strike. Strong enough to challenge the god. Then he alone would lord over this world and this cycle, and all would be his to command.

Hmph. Such a pitiful god. He barely peeled himself from that seat; why were they so afraid? They should be more afraid of _him_ , when he is master of this world. His thoughts steeled him, and he spoke out against the god.

"Truly, Chaos? We must extinguish the light?" he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "I believed our goal to be more amiable than that!"

A soft growl grumbled in Chaos' throat. Garland shifted nervously next to the throne. The Emperor let his annoyance drive his voice as he turned to go. "I've yet to hear one worthwhile bit of information from you, and I _severely_ doubt one is coming. If you are finished wasting my time-"

Chaos raised a hand.

A shock jolted through the Emperor's mind and spread furiously through his body in an instant. His sight went black, no sound reached hs ears, nothing reached him except for the screaming of the individual fibers of his nerve endings. He tensed from the mental attack, collapsing to one knee, and sucked in painful breaths as his sight colored. The deafening sound that returned was filled with the chuckles and snickers of the others.

Chaos stood from his throne and lifted a new hand, then swept it to the side. The Emperor was pulled up from the ground and thrown flat against the wall of the realm. His staff fell from his grip to the floor and _clanged_ against the grey slate.

The god kept his hand raised, suspending the Emperor against the wall. Chaos stomped to him, still looming over him by several feet even as he hung in the air. He bent down and peered face-to-face with the Emperor.

"Do you take me for a fool?! Do you think I am not aware of why you're so desperate to leave? Had you thought me oblivious to your schemes to overthrow me?! No, I knew of your plans, for several cycles now! I am a GOD, you obnoxious mortal! Challenge me as you see fit! Fight me till your heart's content!" His hot, rancid breath hissed in the Emperor's face as he leaned closer, his fangs inches from the Emperor's nose. "In the end . . . " Chaos clenched his fist. An electric charge rocketed through the Emperor. He struggled and jerked in his frozen prison, unable to move as the shocks tore through him.

Finally, Chaos released him. He plummeted to the floor and landed on a knee before Chaos.

" . . . you will always lose."

He spun around to face the others, his voice booming.

"You will do as I command without question! Or the consequences will be . . . " He turned back to the Emperor as he fought to catch his breath, " . . . severe. Let this be a lesson to all of you."

He peered into the face of the Emperor.

The Emperor stared back in defiance.

"Is that clear?"

" . . . Perfectly, Chaos." The Emperor picked up his staff, dropping his gaze to the floor. Chaos' hand shot out and gripped the Emperor's chin, forcing him to look into the face of the wretched creature.

" _Lord_ Chaos," the god sneered.

" _Lord_ Chaos."

Satisfied, Chaos backed off from the Emperor. "Begone, mortals. Haven't you tasks to complete?" He lowered his massive frame into the chair.

Kekfa pointed at the Emperor and let loose the earsplitting fit of cackles he'd been restraining during Chaos' attack. He pushed by the clown, forcing his way through the other warriors. A cold smile crept up Ultimecia's cheeks as he passed. Jecht and Kefka ended up leaning against each other laughing.

The Emperor reached the back of the group only to have his path to the exit blocked by Golbez. He strode up to the huge man expecting him to move, but Golbez merely crossed his arms in front of him, shoulders heaving with repressed laughter. The Emperor maneuvered around him. As soon as he passed, Golbez teleported away and vanished.

" _Let them laugh,_ " he thought bitterly, " _When I rule this world, and all their pitiful lives, there will be no place for their laughter_!" He walked away from the Edge of Madness.

Let his plans begin.


	4. Chapter 4

Cosmos gasped, and the sound charged Cecil's already furious mood with electricity. He swung down at her, and she shielded her face, leaning as far away from him as possible.

Warrior lunged forward at the last second, sword parrying Cecil's blow aimed at the goddess, and he pushed his spear aside. Cecil staggered back and grabbed the knife strapped to his belt. He advanced on Cosmos once more, knife poised to plunge into her heart. Warrior stepped between them and held his shield up in a block, bracing for a blow.

But a pained cry from Cecil startled him into looking up.

Cecil cradled his hand, pierced through the palm with a gold-plumed arrow. Blood welled around the arrow shaft and spilled out the side and down his fingertips, dripping into the shallow water and sending ripples shooting across the pond. He stared at the droplets in shock as they stained the perfect water pink for a moment before dispersing back to the clear crystal pool.

He turned back to Rosa as she drew again, the string of her bow gently pulling her cheek as she lined up her next shot.

"Don't move," she warned him, speaking out of the corner of her mouth, "or this next arrow goes between your eyes."

Cecil's knife lay in the water where he dropped it. Warrior ran in quickly and kicked it away, out of his reach, but Cecil turned to Cosmos, his weapon long forgotten.

"How _could_ you? She is my _wife_! How could you _do_ this to her? To _me_?" He winced as his hand clenched accidentally.

Cosmos' voice cut through the tension in the air like a silky knife. "That is not the case. I am tasked with protecting the balance of this world that Chaos tries so desperately to destroy. I cannot accomplish this alone, and neither can he. I only call the people whom I believe to be strong enough, and best-suited to help me combat Chaos and his chosen, and end his schemes."

"But this is a _cycle_!" Cecil hissed, stepping closer to the goddess like he was hiding a secret. "Once we are called, we can _never_ leave! Don't you understand? You called her from our world to help _you_ , but you pulled _her_ from her life in Baron!"

Cosmos sighed and closed her eyes. "I . . . I am sorry. I understand your frustration, but I only did what I knew was best for the future safety of this world."

Cecil dropped his gaze, "I- I understand, but . . . "

"I know. You only want what is best for her."

"Forgive my outburst," he muttered pathetically.

Cosmos stood and walked over to Cecil. She gingerly took his injured hand and closed her eyes. The arrow gleamed, then dissolved into a whisp of gold. The hole in his hand gently tingled, then closed smoothly, with no evidence of any injury. "Consider yourself forgiven."

"I'm . . . not entirely sure of what you're all talking about!" Rosa relaxed her bow, twirling the arrow around her fingers before returning it to the quiver on her back. She rested the bottom of her bow in the still water, sending hundreds of ripples through Sanctuary. "Before _you_ two showed up, Cosmos was telling me I was called here to fight for harmony, and against disorder, which is confusing enough as is! Now there's all this talk of cycles, and somebody's wife . . . _Somebody_ tell me what is going ON here!"

"Rosa," Cecil stepped towards her. This time, she let him approach, "Can you not figure it out? Try to remember-"

"Remember _what_?! I can recall _nothing_! This is so frustrating!"

"Please, Rosa, try to remember. I am Cecil Harvey. Formerly of the Red Wings of Baron, now crowned king of Baron."

"And why are you telling me this? What's that have to do with anything?" She was becoming impatient. Cecil swallowed.

"Because, Rosa, you and I are from the same world! We're-"

"Cecil!"

A crowd of footsteps followed the voice that interrupted. Without turning, Cecil sighed, "Hello, Zidane."

Cosmos smiled to Zidane, then to the others behind him. Zidane led Bartz, Firion, and the Onion Knight, followed by Yuna, Tifa, and Squall.

"THIS is Sanctuary?" Bartz said, looking around in awe at the bright place, taking in every detail. Clearly, Bartz had received Purification. Cecil swallowed down the melancholy that sprang in his heart as Cosmos addressed the crowd.

"My warriors," she cast a stern glance to Cecil as she passed, then turned to the others once more. "This is obviously not all of you," she said brightly, scanning the seven. "Where are the others?"

" _She was happy for a change of subject_ ," thought Cecil. " _She doesn't want Rosa influenced by knowledge of the cycles, or past memories_." Cecil couldn't blame her. It could ultimately change the way Rosa viewed fighting for Cosmos. Yet at the same time, he felt like he was cheating her out of something important.

Zidane scratched his behind, just left of where his tail poked through his pants. "Eh, I don't know. All these guys I ran into on my way here." He winked at the goddess. "Of course, I only came _here_ just to see your pretty face."

Cosmos turned to Warrior, rejecting the Genome's moves completely. "Have you any quarrels with venturing out and gathering all the others? I wish to speak to all of them. Seeing as how some introductions, and therefore instructions, are in order, I must address everyone."

Warrior placed a hand over his heart and bowed lightly to the goddess. "Of course. I will be back shortly." He took off, mustard-gold cape billowing behind as it caught the wind. Cecil looked back to Rosa, remorse and concern evident over his normally bright features.

 _"She'll remember. She has to remember . . . Eventually . . . "_

* * *

The introductions were terrible. Especially for the people with memories, meeting people without. It was easy to tell who was who, Rosa realized. All those with memories were just a bit more outwardly confident, despite their personalities. More openly talkative. " _Except Squall_ ," she decided. He wouldn't speak unless spoken to for a million Gil, and even that was questionable. She forced a smile through the meetings with the other warriors. The last to approach her was a man in purple armor. The helm was shaped as a dragon's head, the nose of the beast resting just above the man's nose. The curvature of his helmet arched down his cheeks, ending just below his eyes. His lips parted when he stopped in front of her as if in shock, then abruptly snapped shut. He stared at Cecil.

" _Does he know me as well?_ " she thought, as Cecil cleared his throat.

"Rosa, this is Kain Highwind, my lifelong friend. Kain, this . . . is Rosa."

Kain reached out and took her hand. He raised it to his lips. "My lady," he said.

Then he kissed her hand.

She gasped. Like a spark, a flicker of a memory flashed before her eyes.

 _Her shoulders ached. Her back ached. The ropes were starting to chafe, wrists stinging every time she even tensed them. How long had she been laying there in the dark? She shivered; the cold rising off the metal had seeped achingly into her bones and blood and skin. Metal, metal everywhere. Had she been asleep? Or just lost track of time? She had no idea. All she knew was that this time Kain and another figure stood before her. A huge man in black armor._

 _Her heart dropped into her stomach with dread. She was afraid. She was so afraid._

She ripped her hand from Kain's and stepped back, a small cry escaping her lips. Kain's frown deepened under the shade of the dragon, and Cecil gripped her arm.

"A memory?" he asked excitedly.

She nodded, just as Cosmos spoke, "My warriors."

* * *

"I sense something large is about to transpire. Chaos' warriors have been quiet for a while. I fear they are plotting extensively." Cosmos turned to face each warrior in turn. Her speech hadn't lasted long, yet Rosa was anxious to leave, to escape the man in the memory, escape the hopeful expectations of Cecil. She still wasn't sure exactly _what_ Cecil expected of her anyway. Was is possible he really did know her? When she heard his name spoken for the first time she felt . . .

She wasn't sure what she felt. Familiarity? No, she still had no idea who he was. Well, he obviously knew her. Could it be she had just forgotten him?

" _I cannot help but feel that there is a crucial detail I'm simply overlooking. Plus, what was all that talk of cycles? Does it have a factor in my memory_?"

Cosmos told her earlier that battle was a way to bring some recollection back. Was that all she needed? A little sparring, then BAM! It all came back? Or was it a much slower process? If so, how long would it take before she remembered everything?

She returned from her thoughts to see Cecil staring at her. Her cheeks colored; she looked down quickly and absently fingered the ribbon tied to the bottom of her staff. Had she been staring at him?

The weight of his gaze on her face forced her to look the other way, only to meet eyes with a purple dragon. Kain. The room felt like it was closing in on her from all the stares. When Cosmos had gotten their attention, she moved to the other side of the crowd. The fear she felt in her memory twisted in her gut, but she forced herself to stay strong and hold her gaze with the tall man. His lips pulled up into a slight smile, though, with his eyes covered, it was impossible to tell if it held any meaning. She shivered with a sudden chill that shot down her back, and returned her attention to Cosmos.

" . . . must always be aware of your surroundings. Look after each other, and support each other. You never know what those on the side of Chaos have in store for you, but if you protect each other, trust in each other, no obstacle will impede your way to your goal. Thank you all, and you may be on your way."

Rosa strode away from the group, anxious to be rid of the prying eyes, away from the attention, the unanswered questions. (Including one _very_ specific question from Zidane earlier that she flat-out _refused_ to answer.) Her image of Kain left her shaken, and she was desperate to have some time to herself to think things through.

" _Yes, that's it. I just need some time, is all. I need some time to myself, some time with the others, some time with my vague memory. Once things begin to return to me, then I will be the judge of how I handle my circumstances_."

* * *

Zidane slid in next to Cecil. The Paladin barely noticed; his full attention remained politely on Cosmos.

Zidane waited a moment, then looked up at Cecil, "So . . . that's Rosa, huh?"

The question startled him. He tensed, and looked down at the Genome, whose tail flicked side to side expectantly.

"U-um, yes." Pride showed through his new smile as he returned his gaze to Cosmos. "Aye, that is her."

"I remember you telling us about her. How beautiful she was, and stuff. And all of a sudden, I was walking with the others, and the tip of my tail started twitching. Right here!" He grabbed his tail and pointed right to the end. "It's kind of like my sixth sense. I can _tell_ where pretty girls are. And all of a sudden, it was just on fire! So I knew somebody pretty was gonna be here. And then I met her, and found out that SHE's the sexy woman you never shut up about! And, just, . . . _damn!_ "

"Yes, Zidane, that is Rosa. Why do you ask?"

Zidane grew silent, and Cecil followed his gaze to Rosa. He glanced over to her himself and they met eyes. She blushed and looked down, idly playing with the ribbon tied to her staff. He stared at her for a moment more then looked back down to Zidane, awaiting his answer.

But Zidane was shaking his head, hands on his hips, tail slumped in the water of Sanctuary. He hissed out a breath through his teeth. "Lucky bastard," he muttered.

"I- I beg your pardon?!" he asked, but Zidane already went to return to Bartz's side.


	5. Chapter 5

Rosa ran until she reached an unknown world. There were columns, so close together she nearly felt claustrophobic. The whole world held a purple hue. In the center of the grey transparent floor was a bright swirl of blues and lavenders and white. Magenta chords of light arched overhead and coiled between the pillars.

Rosa took in her surrounding, then sat with her back against a column and stared into the empty sky.

" _Alright. I need to step back, and assess my . . . situation_." She paused, and on impulse suddenly added, " _That's what a good queen does_."

A good queen? Where had that thought come from? Had she been someone of royalty before she was called- Rosa shook her head, clearing the thought away. Just another unanswered question. She once again focused on her thoughts, closing her eyes.

" _I am Rosa Joanna Farrell. I was called by the goddess of harmony, Cosmos. I was called away from my world to fight for her. I am fighting alongside 16 allies. The Warrior of Light is the leader, then there is Firion, Tifa, the Onion Knight, Squall, Laguna, Zidane, Yuna and Tidus, Cloud, Bartz, Terra, Lightning, and Vaan. As well as Cecil and Kain, who are from my world_."

That brought her to her next point.

" _My world. I cannot remember its name. Or my life there yet. As of now, the only knowledge I possess is that Cecil and Kain hail from there as well, and the only reason I know this is because of Cecil's words, and my memory of Kain. A dark memory, I presume, but a memory none the less_."

She had been tied up, and she had felt scared out of her mind. How could that have been a good experience?

" _My memory. Lost due to my calling here. Cosmos told me it would return with time. That means that Cecil and Kain had to have been here and fought here a long while if they remember much_."

But that was irrelevant.

" _My goal, as an enforcer of harmony, is to oppose and destroy those on Chaos' side_."

But, from what she heard from the others, Chaos had summoned one villain from each of their worlds for them to fight specifically. Bartz kept speaking of a hated Exdeath; Cloud's fists clenched at the mention of Seph . . . Sephi . . . an 'S' name. A nameless woman targeted the nameless Onion Knight.

" _Whom is it my duty to oppose_?" She hadn't seen a single Chaos warrior yet-

Speak of the devil. She heard the noise like a whoosh, and could hear angry footfalls pacing back and forth near the exit. She stood up and leaned around the pillar to get a better look at the man as he slammed his staff on the ground and drug it behind him with an angry scrape, leaving sparks behind. She leaned over a little farther, holding her breath as she watched him go back and forth, back and forth.

She could just feel that something wasn't right with him. She kept watch, leaning farther and farther. But she leaned too far, and with obnoxious _clacks_ , the arrows in her quiver shifted, hitting against one another. Rosa dashed back behind the pillar as all motion stopped.

"Where are you, you pathetic COWARD?" she heard him yell. She didn't answer, didn't even breathe in the silence. "You should know that I am in an ex-TREMELY foul mood! Show yourself, wretched warrior, or face my power! Whoever DARE challenges me, the Emperor Mateus of Palamecia-"  
Rosa sighed and stepped out from behind the column.


	6. Chapter 6

The Emperor would've normally gone immediately to his throne, but he was far too furious to even sit down. He went straight for a place he knew would be empty, the Realm of Darkness, to wallow in his anger.

" _How_ dare _they mock me?! How DARE they?! They treat me like I am nothing, no one, a peon to their power! Ha! I am more powerful than six of them together, at the least!_ " He paced angrily, dragging his staff along the ground and leaving an angry trail of sparks in his wake. " _I have already achieved divinity in my lifetime, not even once, but twice! I conquered the utmost reaches of Heaven down to the deepest, fieriest pit of Hell and everything therein, including the humans' pathetic realm, and they treat me like some worthless peasant! Do they not know the extent of my power? They mustn't understand my might, my majesty, the iron fist with which I rule! Oh, but they will soon,"_ he threatened. _"They will bow to ME if it's the last thing I do-"_

He cut off in his rant and halted his steps. He heard a noise. There was somebody there.

"Where are you, you pathetic coward?" he yelled, sweeping his staff threateningly.

The silence went unbroken, and he quickly tried to pick up on the presence near him. But this was not his world, and his power of perception quickly diminished in the midst of of the swirling grey void in the center of the world.

"You should know that I am in an ex-TREMELY foul mood! Show yourself, wretched warrior, or face my power! Whoever DARE challenges me, the Emperor Mateus of Palamecia-"

The threat died on his lips as a woman emerged from behind a column near the center of the room. Though she was no woman like the Emperor had ever seen before. If a sneer wouldn't have been on his face, his jaw would've surely hung open. Instead, his sneer dropped, long forgotten in her presence.

She had the face of a goddess, as though beautifull sculpted by the Maker himself. Her piercing green eyes rooted him to the spot, catching him in her exotic spells. Her pale yellow hair caught the light perfectly; her body, her face, her entire being tugged at him, drawing him closer and closer, until he melted beneath her emerald gaze.

She was a succubus, a perfect Lilith, ebbing away at his willpower until he was completely vulnerable.

Oh, how he wanted her for himself.

When he regained his senses, he looked her over once more before he spoke.

"M-my lady, what manner of creature are you that you should have such beauty?" he asked, stepping closer. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on-

She took a step back, her features shifting from gentle curiosity to instant caution. He stepped back as well, being careful not to warn her off.

"My apologies if I alarmed you before," he said, sweeping into a low bow. "Pray tell, what is your name?"

She hesitated, but after a moment returned a courtsey out of politeness. "Rosa."

"Rosa," he repeated, like ecstasy on his toungue. "It is not often the one comes across a woman so beautiful, in any dimension, let alone this one," he said striding towards her as though tranced, never breaking his gaze from her eyes. He could practically see her power, her gold aura, whisping around her like it was the sun stretching over vast land. It was intoxicating, that power . . . if he could but make it his own . . . along with her beauty . . .

Again, the alarm returned and her hand reached for a jeweled knife strapped to her belt. "No closer," she warned him. "Who are you?"

He could not scare her away. Would not. She was too beautiful for him to let slip. Too enticing.

" _Just imagine the power we could have together. She could bring any man to his knees in less than ten seconds, and I can ravage whole kingdoms in almost the same time_." He looked down at the metal staff in his hands and slowly put it down with a sharp _clang_. "I am Mateus, Emperor of Palamecia, my dear," he said, moving towards her again as he spoke.

He saw her shudder, and for a moment he nearly reconsidered his advance. But her liquid honey voice melted through his senses, muddling his temporary flash of morality.

"And what side of the conflict are you on?" she questioned.

" _As if it isn't obvious_ ," the Emperor thought, stopping in front of Rosa. He swallowed, trying to keep his expression calm. "My allegiances matter not," he said, reaching out and drawing a clawed finger down her sleeved arm. "You, however, must be on Cosmos' side."

She lightly hopped back, and he grasped at air. "Enough! You're with Chaos, are you not?" She drew her knife completely.

The Emperor's outstretched hand clenched to a fist. If he could only draw her to him, make her see . . . His eyes locked back onto hers, sending a jolt through his chest and through his soul, where he was sure she was peering. "Tell me, Rosa, how one as beautiful as you . . ." He teleported, reappearing right behind her. He swept a clawed hand through her gold locks, like silk through his fingers. He finished, " . . . gets called to such a conflict?" She whirled around but he was gone, back to her other side.

"I don't believe I owe you any answers!" she said, backing away from the Emperor.

"Hm! You are an elusive girl. You carry yourself as one of noble blood. Obviously royalty. Something in common between us."

"I've _nothing_ in common with a warrior of Chaos," she countered, sensing the change in his tone.

" . . . Mayhaps I can show you . . . " Maybe he could entice her to him. He reached out to her, the corners of his mouth upturning into the slightest ghost of a smile. He stared into her eyes, willing her to accept his advances. A perfect queen, one of such beauty and power on the arm of the conqueror of worlds. They would be invincible. If she could catch emhis/em eye, make him emthis/em captivated, he could only imagine what she could do to whole kingdoms, entire ARMIES of men twice as susceptible.

Something glinted in the dim light, momentarily blinding him. He broke eye contact with her and stared down at her hand, where the glint came from. "What?"

She turned to run, and for a moment the Emperor could only watch as the wind blew through her yellow hair. Then he teleported after her.

He materialized directly in front of her, catching her as she ran into him. She thrust her knife right for his abdomen, but he quickly caught her wrist. He snatched her other wrist, bringing her hand up and spreading her fingers to inspect the ring. A diamond of outlandish proportions, with much smaller diamonds and rubies circled alternately around it.

"A _wedding_ band?!" No! Only HE was entitled to brandish a woman like her! He alone should have her charms, her raw power, her beauty, her BEING! " _She should belong to ME!_ Aaah, I see now!" he said angrily. "Refusing me and my obvious power and riches because you're already taken! I should've known-"

" N-no!" she stammered, trying to pull away. "I-I'm not! Let go of me!"

"Oh, you're not? Then what's _this_?" he shook her wrist hard.

"I don't . . . please let go." He could tell that she was doing everything gin her power to stay calm. He only had one more chance to convince her before she panicked.

"Do you not see the POTENTIAL we have, Rosa?!" he asked. He gripped her wrists tighter. "Your beauty, and your power matched with mine! Why, whole REALMS would be on their KNEES before our might! You and I, ruling together as two of noble blood SHOULD: with crushing authority! Monarchs of the entire WORLD-"

"You are a tyrant!" she cried, ripping her wrists free. Before he could blink she had her bow off her shoulder and an arrow notched and drawn. "I fight for Cosmos! You are manipulative and cruel, as to be expected from one of Chaos! In WHAT world would you even DREAM I would join you? An object! That is all I am to you! A target for acquisition. You claim to have power but all I see is a desperate man TRYING to gain an advantage of some sort with empty words in pitiful attempts at gaining REAL power!" Her bow creaked under its pressure, but Rosa held the string taut, unflinching.

The fire in the Emperor's eyes slowly dulled to a dim spark. Was she refusing him? His jaw opened, closed, and opened again as he tried to come up with a crushing retort. " _. . . I am Mateus, sovereign of Palamecia! NONE refuse me!_ " He got what he wanted or there was HELL to pay!

Fine. He would make HER pay.

"Hmph! REAL power?!" he said. He would show this wretch what happened when he was refused. He swept his hand to the side and his staff drew to him from where he lay it down for her. "Allow me to show you what REAL power IS!"


	7. Chapter 7

Rosa had never been so scared in her life. That she could remember, anyway. Not even her memory of Kain compared to the fear and adrenaline of her first battle. She was right to be wary from the moment she saw him. And as soon as he touched her arm she should've planted a swift kick to his jaw and ran. But no, she'd stayed, and now he was attacking her.

Her heart pounded as she ran straight for cover behind a pillar, putting her back to it.

Her first battle. Did she even remember how to fight? She remembered how to shoot, but she hadn't used her skills in a real battle yet.

" _I hope you know what you're doing_ ," she warned herself, notching an arrow to the string of her bow.

"Oh, no, girl, you'll not escape me now!"

So now she was 'girl?' Two seconds ago he'd have ridden an antlion bareback for her if she'd asked him. But she saw the underlying look of hunger in his eyes when he laid eyes on her. She saw the gears in his head turn the moments he saw her. And now that his prize is lost, she is nothing to him once more.

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She went to step out from behind the pillar, only to come face to face with the Emperor. She let out an involuntary shriek and loosed her arrow straight for his face. He turned at the last second, and her arrow just grazed his cheek before clattering loudly to the floor.

He touched a finger to the cut, recoiling at the sight of blood on the claw of his gauntlet. With a small growl he rushed at Rosa, swinging his staff for her head. She ducked beneath the blow, and he slammed the end of his staff into the ground, throwing bombs in her direction. She barely rolled to the side, but the shock of the blasts threw her backwards. With a back flip she landed on her feet, pausing to assess her situation.

He was directly in front of her, blocking her exit. From what she could see, there were no other escape routes. He was not a close range fighter, while she had her knife. Another advantage: his ego. He was cocky, overconfident. Easily flustered.

Her sense of battle startled even her, her mind moving at an impossible rate, fueled by adrenaline and instinct.

Until the memory came.

Like a portal she was whisked away to another dimension as the flashback played out:

" _Oh, you cherish this one, do you?" a thick, deep voice asked. His dark tones reverberated off the glass all over, making it seem louder than it was. The owner of the voice stepped closer to Rosa. "Then let me take her along as well . . . to hold in trust until we are graced with the chance to meet again."_

 _He wrapped his massive arms around her, pinning her arms in place. She struggled and kicked, but he held her too tightly. He began to drag her from the room as she screamed and fought. But Cecil was defeated, lying on the cold floor of the glass room, and Kain was nowhere near her to help._  
 _With a sweep of his cape, he teleported, cackling as the world spun away from her eyes._

She was snapped out of the memory by a mild blow to her middle. Staggering back, she focused once more on the Emperor as he drew another crest of purple light. Five orbs of magic shot out of the sigil towards her.

She dodged one after another, spinning and jumping this way and that. The Emperor chuckled.

"A vision of your HUSBAND, perhaps? You'd best be careful lest he get in the _way_!"

With that he planted a trap right beneath where she intended to land. She threw her arms up and blocked as best she could as the spikes rose up around her, looming over her and blocking her in. The orbs of the Dreary Cell charged up, throwing sparks all around from their power. Then they detonated around her.

An orb exploded near her side. She careened right into another, which blew her shoulder back, shooting red hot pain and blood down her arm as it burnt her skin. She was thrown back around towards another, but she slid the metal staff off of her back and over her shoulder, barely throwing up a quick Protect barrier before the rest of the mines went off.

She held the Protect until the smoke cleared, but when she lowered her staff, the Emperor was nowhere to be found. Rosa circled, looking all around her for the Emperor's next attack while she switched back to her bow, pulling the string to mid-draw. She bit her lip against the sharp throbbing in her shoulder, but her strong, tense muscles pulled against the string and held it taut.

His laugh resonated through the world as though he could sense her pain, his voice bouncing off the columns. She jumped, spinning around, but it was impossible to pinpoint where the voice came from. She pulled the string to full draw, faltering for an instant as her shoulder pulled and tore with it. The wet, warm blood that dripped to her fingers made the string slippery, and she had to take an extra second to get a firm hand on the string to full draw.

"Does your HUSBAND have powers like this?" he asked, his voice circling around her. "Hmph! And here I thought we could make use of our strengths. But now I see that YOU'VE no real strength at all. Just another pretty face, doomed to fade just as those before you."

"Where are you?" she cried, circling again. His laugh came again, from right behind her. His warm breath trickled down her neck and she dropped her bow to reach for her knife. She sliced at air behind her.

Rosa closed her eyes, taking deeper breaths to calm herself. She blocked out her other senses one by one until only his chuckles reached her ears.

" _Calm down. Focus, Rosa, you can do this. Use your instinct. You can find him_ ," she told herself as she followed his laugh around the room. Her senses became attuned to her surroundings. She could feel his power in the room, sense his very essence while he moved in the space. Finally, she pinpointed his location. Her eyes snapped open and she spun over her left shoulder, hurling her knife towards the Emperor. He appeared right in its path, and it embedded to the hilt into his collarbone.

The blow threw his shoulder back, and she rushed him once more. She picked up her bow as she went by and parried a swing from his staff. With a sweep she ripped the rod from his hands, throwing it to the side. Her second swing back collided with the Emperor's jaw, and she went for a third, but he grabbed the bow, halting it. Rosa reached behind her back, grabbing a gold plumed arrow and the string, and leaned back on her heels as far as she could go, pulling the string with her weight. She snapped the arrow into place and let go. It pierced his shoulder, and she let her momentum carry her through a back hand-spring. She then slid forward, ripping her knife from his shoulder to jam it into his exposed ribs.

Forcing him to a knee, she jumped and pushed off his leg over to the wall. Using the wall as a floor, she ran along shooting arrow after arrow until five fresh shafts protruded from the Emperor's chest.

With one final leap from the wall she drew one last arrow and landed before the Emperor. She channeled Holy magic from her body straight through to the arrow. A snarl of rage escaped her lips as she put the tip to his throat. He lifted his chin and stared up the shaft at her.

Rosa blinked once, twice, and looked around as though just realizing what she was about to do. The pain of her shoulder returned and she winced, her fingers clenching the string of her bow too tightly. She slightly lowered the tip away from his neck, never taking her eyes from his, even as she leaned down and tugged her knife from his side. He sucked in a breath through his teeth and put a hand to his side. She slowly backed away from the Emperor before finally turning around and running from the battleground.


	8. Chapter 8

That had to have been the best thing Ultimecia had seen since she had that boy Seifer torture Squall for her. First Chaos, now this girl, Rosa . . . the Emperor was quickly botching this cycle faster than Kefka could blow up a castle.

Time to gloat.

She appeared behind the Emperor, right as he tried to stand. But his legs failed him and he fell to his hands and knees with a small grunt of pain.

"What are _you_ doing here, witch?" he asked through ragged breaths. The arrows in his chest barely grazed the floor with his shallow breaths.

She laughed. "That was the most _pathetic_ battle I've ever seen."

"How long were you . . .?"

"And how long has it been since you've courted a woman?" she asked, a mocking smile threatening to break through her stony face.

"Silence!" he yelled, leaning heavily on his staff to stand again. She watched him struggle to a hunched over upright position before deliberately taking a knee. He threw his staff down and gently closed a hand around one of the arrow shafts. Preparing himself with as deep a breath as he could muster, he yanked on the shaft, only to snap it.

"Damn!" He threw the shaft to the side next to his staff.

"Allow me?" Ultimecia asked, stepping forward. He glared at her and opened his mouth for a nasty retort, probably something along the lines of, 'No, I don't want your HELP!', but he must have remembered his predicament, for Ultimecia saw the glow of pride dim in his eyes, and he nodded.

She grabbed the broken shaft and braced herself to pull it out. "Ready?" she asked. Before he could reply she counted down, "Three, tw-"  
She ripped out the arrow. He fell forward to his hands and knees, and she inspected the tip of the arrow and any bits of flesh she may have ripped out with it.  
"I _do_ have to say, she was one of the prettiest warriors even _I've_ ever seen-" she said, grabbing another shaft close to his chest and ripping it out before he could even prepare. "And you're lucky the shafts aren't that deep. Either that or she _wasn't_ aiming to kill you."

"I- I swear, if you tell ANYONE of this, I will drag you down to the deepest pit of Hell and-"

She grabbed a third arrow shaft a little too hard, and twisted it a tiny bit. The Emperor cut off to cry out and brace his arm on her shoulder to keep from pitching forward. Ultimecia raised a thin eyebrow. "Oops."

He glared up at her, but a smile played at the corners of her mouth. "I'm sorry, you'll _what_?" _Rip._ "With your recent victories, your power must be VERY formidable by now!" _Rip._ She eyed the last shaft, then his side where blood still leaked from the hole in his armor. "You'd best keep pressure on that," she told him, raising her chin to his side. His lips curled up in a sneer, but he did as she said.

She smiled coldly down at him, hoping he realized exactly what she realized: " _I know I've got this over you, foolish man. And I intend to use it to my full advantage_."

He winced, but to Ultimecia, it didn't seem to be out of pain. With a chuckle and a final tug she ripped the last arrow from him.

"Shall I fetch the surgeon?" she asked jokingly, laying out a hand to help him up. He swatted it away with a snort, picking up his staff and leaning on it to stand once more.

"This stays. between us," he warned once more, putting his staff up and disappearing.

"Hmph! My lips are sealed," she said, drawing a zipper across her mouth.


	9. Chapter 9

Even as Rosa made her way quickly back to Sanctuary, her heart still pounded with the excitement of battle. Her adrenaline was still pumping through her, her senses still heightened. Her whole body was alive with the thrill of it.

But her mind wasn't. " _I hurt someone_ ," she thought. " _I tried to harm someone! I almost lost myself back there, and_ hurt _someone_."

She was a white mage. She healed people that were hurt. They came to her for protection and recovery. She never willingly harmed anyone, Chaos warrior or not.

And yet, she felt like she just had to _tell_ someone!

Sanctuary loomed ahead, and she pressed the last quarter mile.

When she broke the barrier around Sanctuary, she was breathing heavily as the run caught up to her. She stopped a few feet from Cosmos' throne and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

"Rosa?" Cosmos asked.

When she took her hands from her knees and straightened up, she realized that 16 other people were staring at her.

"Rosa, what happened?" Cecil asked as he pushed his way to the front. His face paled when he saw her burnt shoulder, and the small trickle of dried blood down her arm. "My gosh, Rosa, are you alright?" he asked. He practically ran towards her and reached out, grabbing her hand.

She pulled away, her left hand palm up to him as she backed away. " _Too close, Cecil. Watch it_ ," she silently warned him. His shoulders slumped the slightest bit, but he backed away. "What happened?" he asked, dropping his hands to his side.

"I was in this world with a grey ceiling and columns all over when another man came. He . . . threatened me, and attacked. We fought for a while, and I ran when I had him down."

"Woooooah! You're first battle! How'd ya do?" Tidus asked, throwing his fist in the air.

"U-umm, I won, I suppose. I sh-. . . " She took a deep breath, "I shot the man five times in a row, if that did it."

"Oh MAN! Sexy AND tough as nails! Way to go!" Zidane yelled, warranting cheers from the other warriors.

"Who did you do battle with? Warrior asked her as she walked closer to the others.

"He called himself Emperor Mateus-"

This earned more cheers, and a clap on the back from Firion. "Way to go, Rosa!"

"One victory should not be celebrated like so. Our fight continues at every moment. Let yourself lose focus, and it will spell our downfall. You should get your shoulder healed immediately." Warrior said.

Tidus put his arm around Warrior. "Aww, come ON, man! You're killing the mood! She won her FIRST battle!"

"No, no, he's right," said Rosa. She slowly removed her spiked pauldron from her shoulder, wincing as it grazed her wound. "It IS only one battle. Get too confident, and it won't last long." She put her hand to her shoulder, muttering a healing spell under her breath. Before their eyes the wound closed smoothly, leaving no trace of injury.

She smiled up at them all. "But I DID lose a lot of arrows."

She lounged around Sanctuary with the few who remained from patrols. Bartz and she walked aimlessly around Sanctuary together, chatting lightly.

"Well, me n' my chocobo, we'd been buddies forever! At least, that's what it feels like when I remember him."

"How sweet, Bartz. You must miss him."

"Oh, I do. More than anything. But I know that as long as I have my feather, he's with me. What about you? You have somebody important you're trying to remember?"

"Ummmm," she said. She truly wasn't sure. Cecil _felt_ important to her, and so did Kain. But maybe it was chalked up to them being the only people here that she _should_ remember. And all his reactions led her to think that she was important to him. But she just couldn't place things together on her end.

"Rosa?" Bartz asked, stopping.

She stopped too. "I don't know, Bartz," she admitted finally. "More seems to have come back to you than it has me. I only wish there was one person in which I did place my trust."

"Aw, well, you've got us, right? You can make new memories with us until your old ones come back! That's what I've been doing."

"It doesn't bother you? That you can't remember anything but your chocobo?"

"Nah, Cosmos said it'll come back eventually, right? We just gotta wait for it. So why wait in anxiety? It's like the wind. It blows when it wants to. You can't force it. So just let it do its thing! Oh! That reminds me! You GOTTA let me watch you spar sometime! That way I can learn some of your moves! I'm a mime, so I can- oh, hey, Cecil!"

"May I cut in?" he asked. She turned to stare at him. 'Cut in?' They weren't _dancing_. He waited for Bartz's reply, never taking his eyes from her. This was different than the Emperor, Rosa realized. It was a soft gaze, full of compassion and trust.

Bartz looked form Cecil to Rosa. "Uuuuh, sure! I'll see ya!" he said, taking off towards Cosmos.

After he left, they continued to stare at each other until Rosa looked away.

"You know, I find your gravitation towards me somewhat . . ." She couldn't find the word. Uncomfortable? No. Comforting? Not exactly.

"I- I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable, at all, I just . . . You and I, we . . ." He looked around, as though embarrassed. "Do you know about Quickmoves?" he asked suddenly.

"Quickmoves?" she asked, confused by his change of subject. "No. They've not been explained yet."

"Oh! Then I shall show you! Do you see those ribbons of light that arc around us?" Cecil pointed to the green bands of light that circled Order's Sanctuary.

"Yes. Those were in the world where I fought the Emperor."

"Well we call them 'Quickmoves.' You can use them in battle, for a quick getaway, or for dodging around your opponents, sometimes even breaking through their attacks. They are excellent strategic advantages. The way you use them is like this: you jump on one of them and let the light carry you where you want to go. But you must maintain your balance. Observe."

Cecil ran to the nearest stream and without breaking stride leapt smoothly onto the light. She watched as his wide stance kept him balanced, and halfway across he leaned forward, zooming faster down to the bottom where he touched down, running forward with his momentum.

He beckoned her forward, and she eyed up the beam warily. She backed up a few steps, and ran for the beam, leaping onto it. But as she went up she wobbled, and dropped to the ground. She landed in a crouch and stood up, dusting herself off while Cecil ran over.

"That was a good try," he said smoothly, but she could see the traces of a smile in his eyes.

She playfully pushed his shoulder. "Don't laugh!" she said, "I've never done this before!" But pretty soon they both were smiling, and he chuckled a bit before reaching his hand out to her.

"Here, let me show you."

" _Mayhaps I can show you_ ," the Emperor had said. Her smile faltered.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his smile dropping as well. She looked up into his eyes, remembering the greediness and spite in the Emperor's eyes and seeing nothing of the sort in Cecil's. Only the sincerest of emotions swirled in those honest irises.

"Nothing," she said, taking his hand. He led her over to the end of the ribbon of light once more, standing behind her.

"Now, when you land on the beam, keep your knees bent a little more. Don't stand so straight up, and use your hips as a balance point as opposed to your arms," he said, resting his hands down on her hips. "And if you must, use a hand to steady yourself. Ready?"

She nodded.

They ran forward together, and in perfect synchronization, hopped onto the beam. He kept his feet perfectly on the outsides of her, her body molding right to the form of his, even as she wobbled once more on the landing. He quickly steadied her hips with his hands again, and they rode the beam together. She felt the wind on her face, blowing her hair back and streaming tears from her eyes as they flew together. They crossed over another beam and Cecil's hands tightened around her waist. Before she could protest, he leapt off the light with her, moving to her hand instead. She screamed with the freefall, but her screams quickly turned to laughter as he caught the next stream with his hand, swinging himself up and on the beam and swinging her with him. He planted her firmly behind him, and they rode the beam to the ground.

He landed and spun, catching her as she staggered upon landing. She laughed with him, until she felt his arms tighten around her in a genuine hug.  
She gently pushed him away, but he didn't budge.

"Okay. That's enough. Cecil, o-KAY!" she said, pushing him roughly away.

He looked absolutely crushed. "Rosa . . ."

"I'm sorry. I need . . . I just . . . I'm sorry." She turned, meeting eyes with everyone in Sanctuary once again. But she couldn't meet their gazes.  
"I'm sorry," she said again, running from Sanctuary.

"R-Rosa?" he asked, gazing around at everyone too, his cheeks coloring in embarrassment. "Wait!" he yelled, chasing after her.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Kain's frown deepened under his helmet.


	10. Chapter 10

"Rosa!" Cecil ran to catch her already hurried pace.

She sighed. She just wanted to be alone for a while, away from him for a while. She wasn't sure what came over her before. She did not know Cecil. She did not remember a thing about Cecil. And yet, before, they were . . . It was his persistence that made her uncomfortable.

"I . . . never got the chance to finish what I was explaining to you earlier. Regarding our world, and – please stop! Why did you run? Did you regain another memory? Did it frighten you-?"

"Hm." Just an acknowledgement. Nothing more. She slightly quickened her pace, hoping he'd get the picture from her terse reply as well.

He kept up easily, persisting, "What was it of-?" He tried to step in front of her to cut her off. She quickly side-stepped him and continued at her hasty pace.

He caught up again. "Please, talk to me! Rosa, you know you can trust me-" He once again halted her, stepping completely in her path, blocking her. She stopped and turned, walking back the way she came.

" _Please_ ," she thought, closing her eyes, " _just leave me be, Cecil . . . Just for now . . ._ "

"Please, listen," he said, running to keep up. "We were friends, since childhood, and- . . ." Cecil paused. How could she not sense something different between them? Especially after the moment they just shared? He was quickly ruining his chance to tell her. Nor was she listening. "We are- you and I-" Finally, he panicked. He grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Would you just SPEAK to me?!"

She ripped her arm from his grip. "Do not touch me!" She staggered back, hand sliding to her back for an arrow. Cecil stepped back as well, face white with shock. Though whether it was due to his actions or hers, she couldn't tell.

"I- I'm sorry," he stuttered, with another step back. "I didn't mean to-"

Her face softened, and her hand relaxed at her side. "Look, Cecil, this is nothing against you. But, right now . . ." she swallowed, and put more strength into her voice, "right now, I just need some time to myself. To comprehend all of this. This conflict, my-" she caught herself, "OUR world, I suppose, my memory . . . I'm sorry. You seem like a wonderful man, I just . . ." She turned and ran, her gold overcape shimmering in the moonlight.

Cecil sighed. "You ought to know. You married me."

* * *

His plans were perfect. Perfect! He'd been over them a million times. Make that a million and _one_ -

"Hey, Emperor-"

"What, you obnoxious clown?!" He couldn't think for one minute without an interruption from that imbecile.

"Ob-NOX-ious! I _believe_ that was one of the adjectives Chaos used when he TOSSED you into the WALL! Hahahaha-"

"Silence! Can't you see I'm BUSY?"

"All I see is you in a chair, trying to heal that bruise your ego took earlier!"

What did he just say? What did he mean? Did Ultimecia let slip his failure? He was almost frozen before he remembered that Kefka was referring to Chaos.

"SILENCE! I am . . . debating."

On the best way to take down the others and Chaos with the least amount of hassle. Especially now, without Rosa at his side, AND without getting his hands too dirty. He couldn't risk falling before his plans were ready. He needed a team to destroy the pawn. While they removed his opposition, he could hoodwink the gods. " _Oh, how easy this would've been with the ever-powerful Rosa_."

Ultimecia would now be the best for the task, but she usually only worked for the right price. But no matter, he was willing to sacrifice anything for her assistance. Kefka would assist because it would amuse him. As with Exdeath. If either of their objectives involved killing, frivolously, they would agree, no matter _who_ was the target, Cosmos OR Chaos' warriors-

"Hey, Emperor, I think I smell bacon. 'CUZ YOU GOT BURNED!"

"Silence, I said!" he snapped. He pinched the bridge of his nose. While his team was disposing of all pawns, he would be waiting, anxiously, for his time to strike at the gods. He would have to strike them both directly-

"You should cast some blizzard on yourself for your burn."

Typically, when one god's warriors fell, they received Purification and returned for the next cycle. The same could be assumed for the gods.  
Presuming, of course, the gods fell.

Because of the balancing act of this world, the god who fell would have to be brought back, to once again attempt to tip the scales in their favor. But what was to happen if both gods were struck down at the same time? Which way would the scales tip then? Logically, since he struck down the gods, they would tip in his favor.

"How much pressure did your airhead release, Emperor?"

Of course, he was betting much on chance and speculation. What if both gods returned to the cycle like nothing had changed? What if his team of destroyers fell, or betrayed him? He probably shouldn't put his faith into a group of half-sane _idiots_. But, they were imbeciles. They would do as he asked. They would _fear_ him. They would cower before him! His power would be absolute! HE would become the new God of this world with Chaos' defeat, and they all would bow to HIM-

"Emperorrrr," Kefka's whining tones set the Emperor's teeth on edge.

"Kefka, if you SPEAK again, I will wipe that painted smile off of your FACE!"

" _Hm! For once I have silenced that insolent CLOWN-_ "

"You should call the black mages. 'Cuz you just got-"

The Emperor stood quickly and drew a Thundercrest in the ground with his staff. It soared towards Kefka on the ground and erupted below him, bursting and crackling with shocks. Kefka squealed in pain as it pulled him in, scorching the feathers in his hair. He swept his staff to the side, wincing from the healing wound in his side, and the attack dispersed, leaving Kefka chuckling weakly on the ground.  
"Be silent, or be GONE, you pathetic INSECT! Chaos may have caught me off-guard, but I WILL exact my revenge! And when I do, there will be no place for your petty jabs and tricks! Now, I have a plan. A BRILLIANT plan, of imminent victory, that I plan to confide in you and others. However, I am about ten seconds away from brutally murdering you! If you value your life, and desire ANY involvement in the destruction of this world, you will wipe that silly grin off of your face and LISTEN!"

Kefka paused. "D-destruction?" Kefka practically began quivering with immediate excitement. "What _kind_ of destruction?"

The jester drug himself to his feet as the Emperor sat back in his throne. "All in good time, Kefka. Bring me Ultimecia and Exdeath. I shall explain to all of you."

"What? WHYYYY? I wanna know NOWWW-" Kefka's voice once again donned the high-pitched whine that rung in the Emperor's ears.

"No! They are invaluable to the quality of this plan. If you desire to know more, you will bring them to me. Now go."

"You're not the BOSS of meee-" whined Kefka, hopping back into the air.

The Emperor raised his staff as if to strike, and Kefka flinched, flipping backwards to avoid the false attack.

"Fine, fine, I'll go and get them! Hold your HORNS on! Bossy one, he is. Can't have ANY fun around that one!"

He disappeared; the final words of his sentence faded with his form.

He hated having to bet so much on Kefka and the others. After all, none of them trusted each other, which left a miniscule amount of room to act without scrutiny, or a watchful eye. But his plans were already in place. By the time they realized he would be excluding them from his prizes, he would have already crushed them. Crushed them like the vermin they are.

All of them.


	11. Chapter 11

"I don't like to be kept waiting, Kefka." The Emperor sat in his throne and crossed his legs. He drummed his fingers on the armrest; the purple claws of his gauntlet accented each tap with a dull emclack/em! "Where are they?"

"How should _I_ know? I gave them the message, then left. Maybe they just don't like you that much. Or, I know! Maybe next time you should get off you BUTT and gather them YOURSELF!" His voice grew louder and louder until he screamed the last word.

"How DARE you-"

"Mwaaahahahaha!" A harsh, throaty laugh resonated through the top floor of Pandaemonium. The crystal rops that littered the vast room shook with the strength of the gutteral growl. Exdeath appeared before the Emperor and Kefka, and lumbered forward slowly.

"Look at the feeble mortals, squabbling as though their problems somehow possess meaning in this world, and the Void."

"Exdeath. And I suppose you presume _your_ problems are of value, hm?"

"No more value than yours, foolish Emperor."

Hm. Not an _answer_ of value. Would Exdeath agree to this task?

"To what do I owe this . . . assembly? Surely you do not intend to involve me in an idiotic scheme. Was Chaos' little threat not enough? Ohohoho!"

A smooth, cat-like purr filled the air, "Perhaps it is a way to atone for his embarrassing transgression. Is that the case, Emperor?" The air beside Exdeath blurred, and Ultimecia materialized next to the tree.

"This has nothing to do with Chaos, merely our goal as warriors of Discord. My purpose is a simple one. Some of our cohorts have not been acting in Chaos' favor-"

"Oooooh! I forgot you're the EXPERT on Chaos' favor!"

"Silence, Kefka!" The clown touched down and began grumbling incoherently. The Emperor straightened up and pressed forward, "Kuja has resigned himself from the fight once again. Golbez leaks information to Cosmos, and to his bother, on a regular basis, as he has done in cycles past. Need I go on about our emother/em comrades?" He wasn't sure if what he was saying was necessarily true or not, nor did he care. He just wanted to goad them into stirring up trouble amongst Chaos' warriors.

Ultimecia laughed, a quiet tinkling that hung in the air. "Attacking our own? Hmmm, how surprising. And here I thought we were just going to hold hands and sing cute songs about our friendship together."

"Kefka threw his head back and laughed like a hyena. "Ul-Ulti-Ultimecia, I d-didn't know . . . you w-were CAPABLE of such . . . PRETTY thoughts! Hahahahaha!" he cried between fits of laughter. A smirk crept up her face. She crossed her arms. "Ooooh, you know who else _I_ wanna mess with?" Kefka asked, suddenly serious. " _Tidus!_ That kid is just plain ANNOYING! Blitzball this, dad that! Wah, wah, WAH!" Kefka turned to Ultimecia without waiting for her reply. "Alright, alright, we'll add him to our hitlist! Don't get too excited!"

The Emperor cleared his throat, glaring at Kefka. "As I was _saying_ , they are traitors to the cause of discord. They must be punished. Along with, naturally, the idiots of harmony. Gods, he sounded stupid. He sounded like a fool, he sounded ridiculous.

"Anyone in particular?" Ultimecia asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He only glared at her. He hoped that even if they saw through his flimsy plan, and it WAS flimsly, they would still agree to the mindless killings he required of them. Who knew, maybe they would even believe that Chaos' threat had worked, and he was truly a reformed fighter of discord. He only gave them enough detail to prompt them into battle against both sides.

Ultimecia crossed her arms. "You wish for us to be your disciplinary comittee? Hmph! Tell me, what do you plan on doing while we go on these sprees?"

He'd been expecting the question. "I shall be assisting you, of course. Leading our enemies into the traps, etcetera."

Kefka muttered something in pensive frustration under his breath. Otherwise, no response broke the silence.

"Think about this for a moment," the Emperor said, rising from his throne, "Kefka, you may go and let loose, have fun, restriction free. None will rebuke you for your treatment of the others- they are enemies, and traitors. In fact, the remaining others will be _envious_ of the horrors you commit."

"Oh BOY! I can already imagine the screams of TERROR! Haha! We're gonna get to PUNISH people! Oh come on, Ulty, PLEEEEAAASE?"

"And Exdeath," the Emperor strode forward, and began to circle the giant man, "You're always piping on about the Void. How could you _possibly_ pass up the opportunity to destroy others, granting their souls an early trip to eternal nothingness, and suffering in purgatory?"

Kefka hopped from foot to foot. Exdeath chuckled once and shifted his huge weight, hopefully in contemplation.

"Ultimecia, you desire destruction with your time magic, do you not? It is the perfect time to begin extinguishing lives as you deem necessary. What say you?"

"COUNT ME IN!" Kefka screamed, right next to Ultimecia's ear. She flinched, and shoved his head away.

"I also accept your offer." Without another word, Exdeath teleported away.

"Destroy, destroy, destroy! That's what I'LL do!" he growled. "Goodbye, Superiority Complex!" He, too, disappeared leaving the Emperor alone with her.

Ultimecia crossed her arms again and narrowed her eyes at the Emperor. No doubt in distrust, or maybe something else. Like she knew something he didn't. Which she did, he remembered. He stared back, holding her gaze coldly until she looked away, shaking out her crow-like wings.

"Hm. I'll join, I suppose. But don't think for a moment that I don't know that you're covering up something else. I may not know what it is yet, but you better believe I'll sniff it out." She threw the Emperor one last glare before disappearing.

"Wait!" he yelled. She came back, smirking at him. "I'm going to _pretend_ I didn't hear you threaten me. I _believe_ you know who I want taken care of first."

"Let me think: gold hair? Shot you five times with a bow?"

"Don't MOCK me, witch! I want her DEAD!" She only laughed her bell-like tinkling laugh and disappeared.

He dropped tiredly back into his throne. "As they destroy my obstacles to the gods, I will have time to prepare." He absently drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "Soon, now, very soon."

* * *

Thanks so much to lightningflash51 for telling me that some of these were showing up as the code rather than text! If any of you see any more of those please please let me know!

-Keyblader41996


	12. Chapter 12

Ultimecia left the Emperor's throne severly annoyed. He thought them all simple! Did he emhonestly/em believe they didn't see through his plans? Even after Chaos' little threat and ego-bruising attack, the fool was still trying to overthrow him! And, he expected them to be his clean-up crew! How condescending; an insult to her intellegence. She was nobody's scapegoat. Still, she would need time to plan, and practice on her Time Compression, and who better to practice on than those worshippers of Cosmos and Rosa, and, of course, a few traitors of Chaos?

The Emperor had only told them to go after Kuja, Rosa, and Golbez. Surely he hadn't forgotten about the other obstacles: Sephiroth, the Cloud of Darkness, Jecht. He hinted that he wanted all of them dispatched, but he was asking much. Especially with Garland. Garland would be his biggest obstacle to Chaos, and, possibly, the strongest obstacle. His plan had better not be to take on Garland alone.

His plan had better not be to pit _them_ against Garland, either. Speaking of his Aces-in-the-Hole, what are his plans for them once he is ready to take on the gods?

" _Hmph! If he even_ gets _to that point,_ " Ultimecia chuckled. Like _she'd_ ever let him surprise her.

She was passing by the Empyreal Paradox when a familiar presence stopped her. To her delight, it was Rosa, pacing slowly back and forth with her eyebrows all in a furrow.

" _Oh, how convenient! Our first target!_ " she thought, pausing to watch the woman while she paced.

She _was_ beautiful. Her green eyes outshone everything around her, but with a natural, soft glow unlike Sephiroth's. The rich gold of her hair was almost captivating as it caught the light of the transparent floor, framing her flawless face perfectly.

Immediately, Ultimecia hated her too. She was just _too_ perfect. She needed to be destroyed.

Fresh meat was always the most fun to skin. She disappeared to find the others, escaping without a sound.

* * *

Exdeath had gone to the Rift, with Kefka in tow. He hadn't wanted the imbecile to follow him, but the clown wouldn't leave him alone. He resorted to simply ignoring him.

Completely, blatantly-

"You SUUURE you don't wanna show me what's under that helmet, Deathy?"

He replied with what should have been a dirty look, but his helmet prevented any sort of display of emotion. It probably held not the desired effect.

"I won't laugh, I promise!"

Exdeath clenched his fists so hard they trembled. It was by sheer power of will he did not crush that wretched clown's head, and it was becoming more increasingly difficult to suppress his blind fury.

"PLEASE-"

"No, no, NO! For the last time, you cretin, I will NOT remove my helmet for you! You have pestered me for the last time!" He summoned his sword to his clenched fist.

With a yowl Kefka sprang from the ground, straight towards the huge man, and latched on, wrapping his legs around Exdeath's torso. He pulled and pried at the helmet. "Come on, come ON! It's GOTTA come off, SOMEHOW!" He jabbed his fingers into the slit, and tried to brace it open.

"RRRRAAUUUGH!"

* * *

Ultimecia reached the Rift just as a deep, animalistic growl reached her ears.

"RRRRAAUUUGH!"

Exdeath dropped his sword, and clawed at Kefka, who was attached to his face like a leech.

"GET OFF OF ME, KEFKA!"

"I JUST WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE!"

"KEFKA!"

Ultimecia cleared her throat, but it went unheard over the raucus.

The clown called a fire to his palms, attempting to blow off the helmet.

Ultimecia crossed her arms. "Excuse me, I'm not INTERRUPTING anything, AM I?!"

The two froze, and looked to the time witch.

"Put that away, Kefka, and stop acting like a fool!" Reluctantly, Kefka closed his fist over the fire.

"Nice to see you too, deary."

Ultimecia pressed on before she lost their attention, "Have you truly considered the Emperor's proposal?" she asked, trying to sound indifferent.

Exdeath grabbed a fistful of the feathers in Kefka's hair. "I have." He yanked Kefka off of his armor, and threw him to the floor with a whine of protest from the clown. "It is just a ploy to call attention from his own plans."

"I came to the same conclusion. Are you still going through with helping him?"

"I shall. I care not for whom I send to the Void, or why."

"I'm still helping cuz killing people is FUN!" Kefka yelled from the ground.

"Hm. Want to get started?"

Kefka crawled to his feet and stood, tapping his chin. "Already?! Hmmm, I don't know. Shouldn't we plan a little, wait it out a little- YES!"

"Good. There is a warrior of Cosmos running alone through the realms. A woman, with green eyes, golden hair, VERY pretty face, one of the 'perfect' types. The Emperor wants her first."

"'Perfect?' Oooh, is that JEALOUSY I hear in your flat tone, Ultimecia?" Kefka cupped a hand around his ear and leaned into her.

She laughed dismissively and roughly pushed him away. "Jealous? Of emcourse/em not. She is just another target!"

Exdeath ignored them both. "Where is this warrior?"

"The Empyreal Paradox. Shall we engage in the hunt?"

Exdeath cackled, leaning back slightly in his armor. "Indeed. I shall go now, and stalk our prey." He departed at once, leaving Kefka and Ultimecia in the Rift.

Kefka leaned into her, "Haven't you ever wondered what his face looks like?!"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "While you ponder your profound thoughs, you can meet us there." She too, disappeared.

"Ha! Let's go get her! I just want to see Exdeath without his helmet! Is that TOO MUCH TO ASK?!"


	13. Chapter 13

Rosa came across no warriors along the way as she ran for the Empyreal Paradox. Hopefully, this time alone would be better than her last.

She needed to re-evaluate some things.

She didn't _know_ him. She didn't know Cecil at _all_ , let alone love him. But that moment was so tender, so real, she couldn't even be sure that what she was even saying was true. She could feel his warth radiate through her chest, and the way it seemed so natural and free, just gliding with him-

No. The LAST thing she wanted to do was get distracted, or hurt someone like Cecil.

She sat down, sighing loudly. Maybe she should just cease all this worrying. It wasn't as though it would bring anything back any faster.

She said aloud, "Would I even recognize _any_ sort of emotional tie anyway, even without my memories?" Maybe that's what that was. Some phantom of past feelings she just couldn't account for yet. _Should_ they even be directed at Cecil-

"Hmmmm, would you?!" a high-pitched whine suddeny reverborated in her ear, so loud she jumped. She jack-knifed to her feet, and summoned her bow, grabbing an arrow and on instinct firing to the threatening sound of the voice. The arrow made a hollow _tchink!-tchink!_ as the shaft bounced off the clear crystal ground. The voice she heard whispered down her neck, "I'm CURIOUSSSSS!" The hair on her neck stood up, and she shuddered as she whirled around, again aiming her bow at nothing.

"Show yourself!" she yelled, spinning to scan the entire room. "Who are you?! _Really?!_ " she thought incredulously. " _Can I not have_ one _moment of peace_?"

A brightly adorned clown appeared in front of her, his bright colors shining even more brilliantly against the fragile light of the crystals.

Rosa could only grimace. His eyes were crazed, and decorated with red accented paint. He looked at her like she was nothing more than someone he could bully. Obviously not a Cosmos warrior. She lifted her bow and drew again.

The jester laughed, and faded from view, his obnoxious cackle dwindling with him. When it reached her ears again, he reappeared behind her. She turned slightly so she could see him over the arrow she had notched.

"Who are you?" she asked again, aiming directly at the clown.

"Oh, I'm nobody you need to know," he said. His tone deepened to a low grumble, and Rosa tensed, drawing more tightly. She released her arrow, but before it struck true, it redirected, skittering away across the floor.

"Mwaaahahahahaha!" A rumble that could have collapsed a cave flanked her on the left. She spun quickly and put her back to the clown to face the new arrival. He was huge, at least seven feet tall. His green tinted armor covered his whole body and face completely. The skirts around his tree-truck waist were brightly colored and intricately patterned, and may have looked pretty if not for the maniacal laugh and huge sword in his vice grip. He lowered his hand from redirecting the arrow with magic and gazed down at her. "Hmph! Ultimecia was right! What a pretty warrior," he said. She could only blink; a feeling of recognition entered her heart. His voice was so deep she faltered, lowering her bow slightly.

" _That deep voice sounds somewhat familiar_ ," she thought. Did she know someone who spoke with nearly the same pitch?

He laughed again, ripping her from her thoughts. His armor clinked with every heave of his broad shoulders. "It's a pity Ultimecia wants you destroyed."

He reminded her of a Demon Wall, she realized. Slow, creeping, inching at a snail's pace with every intention of crushing her like a bug if she gave him the chance.

The clown took a step towards her, and she remembered she was surrounded. She quickly drew her knife, and the huge man stopped laughing and took a step towards her.

The clown had just begun laughing as he, too, stepped forward, closing her in.

She was horribly outmatched. They closed in around her one step at a time, and when they were close enough she took a swipe at the clown. He whooped with joy and hopped back, then kept advancing. He gave her one last evil glance.

"Get 'er!"

He raised his palms and shot a blizzard at her. She side-stepped, then dove to the side as the green armored man's sword cut the air where she had been standing seconds ago.

She popped up from her roll and slashed at the clown's middle. He ducked under the blow and pressed his hand to Rosa's stomach, letting loose a powerful Thundaga that threw her on her back. She cried out, clutching her stomach, residual shocks pulsing in her gut. She could only writhe while the clown pranced closer to where she lay, and the armored man strolled towards her as well. She shakily pushed herself to her feet only to be knocked forward by a white spell to the back.

She staggered towards the jester, who wound up a huge Firaga. Rosa's momentum almost sent her careening into the spell, but at the last moment she slid her staff from her back and blocked in a Shell, she soft green light encasing her as a shield. The Shell held and the Firaga connected, and the heat against her spell almost made her recoil. The Shell flickered, but fortified again and the spell deflected, ricocheting and angling back towards Kefka.

The fool's face fell and he screamed, turning and running from his own spell. Rosa could see the armored one begin the workings of a spell between his hands out of the corner of her eye. She spun and advanced on him, knife raised, before he could recover to engage her. She thought he wasn't going to move even as she pulled back to swing at him.

But a woman appeared directly behind Exdeath and quickly raised her hand. Before she could pull away the air around Rosa shimmered, and seemed to press in on her. Time slowed down around her. Her knife crept more and more slowly towards Exdeath until it stopped completely, inches from his heart. The features on her face slowly contorted to shocked fear before she too, froze completely in the stopped time. Sound became morphed through the pocket of time, like she was hearing and seeing things through a glass.

She couldn't breathe through the crushing air, couldn't cry out, and squirmed painfully in place, but the Time Spell held her fast. Only her eyes were free, and she watched the woman stride forward past the man and the jester and straight up to her.

She was dressed in a crimson red dress with an immodest neckline, lined with feathers. The bottom opened in a slit that left her tattooed legs and feet visible. Crow wings stretched from her back unnaturally. Her grey-silver hair was pulled into two horns atop either side of her head, except for her bangs, which fell to her thighs. Her irises were a rich gold, seemingly infinite in depth and cold as ice, and Rosa found herself unable to look away from them while the witch bent to look upon her face.

"Nice of you to FINALLY join us, Ulty-"

"Silence, Kefka. Hmph! Pitiful, that you would think you could win against _all_ of us," her voice warbled through the crushed time. She reached into the field around Rosa and pulled her knife from her frozen hand. Rosa struggled again, and fought through the pins and needles that shot into her whole body with each tiny movement. The woman only chuckled, and inspected the jewel-encrusted hilt, a look of disgust on her face. "So pitiful." She tossed the knife away.

She looked to Exdeath and nodded to Rosa. He disappeared, his imposing presence suddenly teleported directly above her. He reached into the forcefield and grabbed a fistful of her gold cape. With a loud grunt, he lifted her from the confines of the time spell and tossed her into the air. The spell broke, and sensation hit her like a train. Everything was too fast for her eyes to follow. The sound of the air whirring in her ears was deafening, and disorienting. Her whole body ached from being held against her will. She didn't even see the clown hop into the air below her and make a quick motion. Iridescent triangles materialized as she tumbled through the air. They attacked, jerking through her like sword blows.

After an eternity she fell and hit the cold, hard ground with a soft noise of pain. She shook her head and slowly, dizzily, painfully reached for her bow with trembling hands.

The clown cackled loudly and stepped on her hand, pushing it back to the ground.

"Really nothing personal, DEARY!" He growled the last word. "But we're about to have some FUN!"


	14. Chapter 14

"She doesn't remember me!" Cecil cried angrily, pacing before Cosmos. He returned to Sanctuary after his attempt to appeal to Rosa had gone awry. His disappointment and anger were boiling over, somewhat shocking to even himself. "She doesn't remember that we're in love, doesn't remember our adventures, doesn't remember anything about me, or us!"

"Cecil," Cosmos attempted to console the flustered man, "her memory will return, in time. Fret not-"

"I suppose that if you had no memory, and a strange man approached you saying, 'Good morning, madame! You probably do not know me at all, but I should confide in you that you and I are married!', it would not settle well."

"Cecil, please-" Cosmos reached out to grab his arm, but he paced past her.

"But even so, one of the first things I recognized when I came here was that Kain was familiar! Did she not even make _that_ connection? That I was someone she recognized? That alone would make the announcement of our marriage easier to bear, but I'm not sure she's even acknowledged me as a friendly, and familiar face. I'm not even given _that_ luxury. No, she emhad/em to be called, and her memory purged, and now she knows not me, that man that she loves, the man that loves her! Not to mention Baron, which has probably gone to the GOBLINS now that BOTH monarchs have disappeared from it!"

" . . . Are you still angry with me?" Cosmos asked softly. "Does this conflict still tear at you, still anger you?"

Cecil froze in his pacing, heel dug into the water of Sanctuary for his next step. The Warrior of Light, who was silent during Cecil's monologue, looked up at him, waiting for the answer.

"You know the answer to that," he said gravely. "This _conflict_ angers me not. Light and Darkness are born to fight, destined to be opposites. I should know this best of all. No, this _conflict_ is not what angers me. Where I take offense is Rosa's _involvement_ in this conflict." He paced again, more slowly this time. "I had hoped that the time when we saw each other would be one of joy! I had hoped that when I saw my wife after an extended leave of absense, I would be able to hold her, feel her, safe in my arms in Baron. Instead, I came face-to-face with a woman who never saw me before that point. I saw a woman with nothing but suspicion in her gaze, instead of love. Of me, her husband, of whom she held _no_ memories. My own _wife_ stared at me with neutral apathy. No love, no hatred, simply passive existance." Cecil looked to the horizon of Sanctuary and closed his eyes. "Hers is too beautiful a face to ever wear looks of such trouble."

Her beautiful round eyes were so richly green, it was as though every shade of the color was swirled into one around her pupils; the sharp nose accented the slenderness of her face, yet perfect fullness of her rosy cheeks. Her pink, plump lips were beautifully curved, and when they turned up into her smile . . .

His own lips had gotten lost many a time on hers.

He wanted her back.

Cecil's thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from Cosmos. She wrung her hands nervously as Cecil took a questioning step towards her.

The Warrior of Light spoke first, "Cosmos?"

She looked up sharply and stared pleadingly into Cecil's face.

"Rosa's in trouble."

* * *

Exdeath pulled back and threw a thick-fisted punch into Rosa's stomach, right where Kefka shocked her earlier. He shoved her away and she fell to a knee in front of Ultimecia.

"Did you honestly believe you had a chance? Pitiful. And to think I presumed you to be clever. A worthy opponent." She clawed at Rosa with her razor sharp purple gauntlet, aiming for her face, but Rosa blocked with her forearm. Ultimecia's face fell in a scowl, and she pressed harder against Rosa's weak defense. "You've been beaten, you vexatious girl! About to be felled by those who are far more powerful than yourself! What do you hope to accomplish through resistance?" She pulled away, throwing Rosa off-balance.

Kefka cackled, "I find it quite enjoyable, Ulty, don't YOU?!" He shoved Ultimecia aside and hit Rosa with a Havoc Wing he lined up perfectly. Rosa flew back and hit the ground on her back. Kefka disappeared, then rose next to her. "It's just too cute the way the wittwe giwl tinks she can fight back you're just too adorable yesh yoo are!" He pinched Rosa's cheeks and she smacked his hands away. He quickly pulled her up by her cape. "Yeah, you're just a CUTE little thing, aren't you?!" he growled.

Ultimecia strode up. " _Move_ , Kefka! She's _mine_ to torture! The Emperor gave the order to _me_!"

Kefka dropped Rosa and raised a painted eyebrow. "Oh REEEALLY?! Well who died and made _him_ king of Figaro?"

" _You_ will, if you don't close that trap of yours . . . "

Rosa _slowly_ inched away from the arguing duo. Once she put several painstaking feet between them, she got up quickly and ran for the exit of the realm.

"There, Ulty, see what you did? She's getting away- OH! WE GOT A RUNNER!"

Before they realized it, she was steps away from freedom.

Until Exdeath teleported in front of her. She skidded to a halt as he aimed a Delta Attack. He pierced the light shield with his sword and the light shot towards her, catching her in the stomach. She landed on her back once more, clutching at the crippling pain in her middle.

Kefka pranced back over to where she lay and stood over her. "Just so you don't get any more bright ideas . . . " He cast a fire in his palms and pressed it to her ankle. She yelped, then shut her eyes and bit back a shriek of pain as she felt the skin of her ankle singe and blistered inside her boot from the heat. Kefka cackled in delight. "Oh this is SO FUN!"

Rosa heard bare feet padding towards her, and all of a sudden Kefka stumbled to the side. "I said MOVE, Kefka!" Ultimecia sneered. She shoved him over and looked down at Rosa, painted face twisting into a sick version of a smile "Submission is so much easier on you! Why will you not give up?" Ultimecia asked. She began to slowly circle around her. "You just give up, accept your fate, no more fighting." She paused to examine the purple claws of her hands, "Just like he did."

"L-like who did?" she stammered between waves of pain.

Ultimecia laughed lightly; the tinkling bell-like sound seemed to hang in the air. "After you ran away from him, we hunted him down, just like you. He was so easy to destroy. And he submitted so easily at the mention of you!"

Had they harmed another Cosmos warrior? Subjected him to her same fate?

"His screams truly made my day! When we spoke of you next he tried to beg with us! 'Oh please! Whatever you do don't harm Rosa! Don't hurt Rosa! Kill _me_ , but don't harm her!'"

"Who?" demanded Rosa. She struggled to get up as Ultimecia laughed again.

"Why, your admirer, of course. The one that follows you around like a dog. Cecil, was it?"

Rosa's blood ran cold. They'd killed Cecil? Cecil was . . . no. But she just spoke to him! That was unthinkable. It was impossible-

They were lying. Trying to get a rise out of her for more entertainment-

Ultimecia grabbed a fistful of Rosa's gold hair and pulled her up to stare into her face. " _Tsk!_ Aw, poor dear," she drawled sarcastically. She wiped a hot tear she didn't know had fallen from Rosa's cheek with the back of a clawed thumb, leaving a stinging red scratch from her nose ot her earlobe. "Don't worry about him. You'll soon join him . . . Hm . . . You're one of the prettier warriors. Wouldn't it be a shame . . . " She cupped Rosa's chin and turned her face this way and that, inspecting. She finally finished, " . . . if I were to scar such a pretty face before I killed you, hm?" She summoned a purple arrow, holding the sharp tip to her cheek over the fresh scratch.

How could they have done this to Cecil? How could they have tormented him so? No matter what, she'd never want _anything_ to happen to him like this. She gazed upon Ultimecia with pure fury, turned away, and pulled her chin from Ultimecia's grip. Smirking, she quipped in reply, "Hm! Whatever you do cannot be any worse than what your _face_ looks like!"

Kefka howled in the background as Ultimecia's eyes narrowed. "Hahahahahaha! She's got a MOUTH on her! Score one for the prey!"

Silently, Rosa cursed her tongue. That probably didn't help her chances.

Ultimecia pulled Rosa to her feet and back handed her hard enough to bruise her cheek. She pushed Rosa back into the wall of the realm and drove the purple arrow into her shoulder. "Hold her down," she snapped to Exdeath.

Rosa flattened against the wall as a Constrict spell presed against her and held her. Ultimecia grabbed the arrow, jerking it. She felt muscle tear under the point as Ultimecia spoke, "I think that before we kill you, we should cut out that tongue of yours. But not yet. I still want to hear your cries of despair." She twisted the arrow a full 180, and Rosa sucked in a breath through her teeth, using every ounce of her strength to withhold her screams.

"Oooh, Ulty, you better let me be the one to do THAT!" Kefka kicked the side of Rosa's knee, breaking the spell, and she collapsed. Ultimecia bent over her and summoned another arrow.

"It truly is a shame. I was about to be merciful, and kill you quickly before your comment. But now, I'm going to allow your prolonged suffering. I think you deserve it. Just like Cecil did."

She jammed the arrow into Rosa's side.

The icy crystal pierced into her. Her breath caught and she froze in pain as a wave of agony crashed over her. She coughed weakly in shock, but sucked in a sharp breath, grimacing at the strain it caused on her wound.

Ultimecia smiled coldly as blood began to seep from the wound and color the translucent crystal floor. She turned to the others. "Well, as much as I'd like to stay and watch the rest of this little execution, I must go. We're done here. Exdeath, you may claim your prize for the Void. I'll go speak to our 'leader'-"

"Woah, woah, WOAH! I'm sorry, but I dis- _tinct_ -ly remember you FIGHTING me over the change to KILL her! And now you're BACKING out LAST MINUTE?! Did our fight mean NOTHING to you?"

"Of _course_ it meant nothing! Those wounds will kill her anyway. She'll probably lose too much blood. And besides, I changed my mind. I don't want to get my hands _too_ dirty for him right now. Clean up when you're finished." She teleported away.

Kefka huffed. "Oh well, more for us, right, Deathy?"

"No." Exdeath strode forward, drawing his sword. He stood over Rosa and raised it over his head to crash down on her.

Exdeath tensed in surprise as a baritone voice other than Ultimecia's and deeper than his own resounded through the crystal before the owner appeared. "What have we here, Exdeath?" She could hear the _whoosh_ of rushing air from his teleport into the realm. "Torturing a Cosmos warrior. I should have guessed. How like the two of you."

Rosa was too battered to turn and look. He had to have been armored, and big at least. When he strode forward, his clanking footfalls shook the ground, and her. She grit her teeth against the quivering arrows.

"Golbez! Come to join in on this fun?" Kefka squealed.

Exdeath stepped in front of Kefka. "No. We are finished-"

Kefka floated over Exdeath and landed in front of him. "Not sure when torture became your style, Golby, but, hey, we'll let anyone in on this party!" Exdeath growled softly, in an attempt to silence the clown.

Golbez laughed dismissively. He waved his hand, "Of course not! It is still beneath me." A direct jab at the two. "Your . . . party . . . could be heard from miles off. I decided to investigate. Whom, may I ask, has the misfortune of being your target?"

He approached until he stood directly over her. He gently put a cold, metal hand on her injured shoulder and turned her to face him.

The man audibly gasped. He straightened quickly, staggering back a few steps. "Rosa!" he said.

Rosa closed her eyes, and let the world fade away as the man spun on Exdeath and Kefka.


	15. Chapter 15

Cecil ran so quickly, the wind on his face made his eyes water. He was almost there! He just had to keep going.

He'd never run so hard in his life. Not even in battle.

But he would run to the farest reaches of the Underworld if it meant Rosa's safety.

He turned a sharp corner around a wall of rock coming up on the Mirage Sandsea, and his feet slid out from under him on the fine dirt. He maintained his balance with a hand to the ground and pushed forward.

His blood pounded in his ears; the ragged huffing of his breath echoed across the sand.

His side hurt. His chest hurt.

But he would keep going.

For Rosa.

" _I'm coming, Rosa. Just hold on. Please, my dear, hold on_."

* * *

The Warrior of Light knelt next to Cosmos.

"What's happening? Is Rosa alright?"

"I . . . I know not," Cosmos admitted, dropping her gaze. "She grows but weaker still. Cecil's on his way, but I-" She cut off abruptly.

The Warrior of Light stared at her questioningly.

"Another joined the fray. A Chaos warrior."

"A Chaos warrior? Then Ultimecia returned?"

"No. Someone different."

"Whom?"

"I know not . . . Rosa's vanished completely."


	16. Chapter 16

Golbez spun on Kefka and Exdeath. He turned back to Rosa, then back to them once more, shocked beyond all sense.

"Oooh, I wish you coulda been there, Golbez! She was FUN to mess with! IT was HILARIOUS every time the poor girl tried to defend herself-"

He clenched his fists. In a moment of blind rage Golbez raised his hands and shot a Cosmic Ray at Kefka. He hit the unsuspecting clown and held him in the spell while he blocked a sword blow from Exdeath with a force field. He threw the whining clown to the side, then shot a volley of red lasers at Exdeath. While Exdeath blocked, Kefka staggered to his feet, panting, and shot a line of Thundaga at Golbez. He cast his hand to the side, redirecting Kefka's magic. It hit a nearby shard of crystal, and it broke in a shower of razor sharp glass. Golbez threw up his arms to block his helmeted face, but when he broke the block and looked back at them, Kefka had disappeared with Exdeath.

A freezing chill shot down Golbez's spine and he frantically looked around for the two of them. He floated over to Rosa and hovered above her to protect her, hands raised, poised to cast.

He waited tensely for Kefka or Exdeath to attack. An eerie silence crept into the air, save for his heavy breathing.

Suddenly, Kefka shot through the barrier of the realm behind him. He barreled into Golbez's back, sending them both tumbling in a tangle of clanking black and pastel colors. They rolled to a stop at Exdeath's feet, and Kefka jumped off as Exdeath pulled back his long, curved sword. He swung, but stumbled through the blow as Golbez disappeared, teleporting safely away. Golbez began to slowly float back towards Rosa, to put himself between her and them, but his path was blocked as someone else sprinted straight to her side.

"Rosa!" Cecil bent over her, panting from his dead-sprint to reach her.

"Cecil?" called Golbez.

"Brother?!"

"KEFKA!" Kefka sneered. He spun to throw and onslaught of ice at Cecil.

Something in Golbez saw Cecil in peril and SCREAMED at him to help. He teleported in front of Cecil and pulled his cape across his body, blocking the ice. He turned to Cecil.

"Cecil, take Rosa and go! I'll fend them off!"

"Brother!"

"Quickly! She'll not survive much longer!"

"B-but what about you-"

Golbez blocked another shower of ice. "I'll be fine. Hurry! Get Rosa to Cosmos-"

Exdeath teleported behind Golbez and he broke his block to engage him and Kefka.

* * *

Cecil gently gathered Rosa in his arms, shuddering from the wet blood that had soaked into her white patterned shirt. He brushed her matted hair away with a hand before lifting her. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she moaned softly.

"Shh, Rose, you're going to be alright. You'll be alright." Both to assure him and calm her.

He held her closer and spun to face Golbez, right as Exdeath pulled back and drove his sword deep into Golbez's abdomen.

"Golbez!" cried Cecil.

Kefka looked over like he forgot Cecil was there, and charged up a Hyperdrive to launch at them. Cecil gasped in fright and shifted to Dark Knight, turning away to protect Rosa. He braced for Kefka's attack, shutting his eyes tightly. He heard the fizzing, ringing attack get closer and closer, louder and louder. A hand clamped on the back on his armor and he flinched, expecting it was the pain that was sure to come. But with a weightless feeling and a rush of air, the Empyreal Paradox spun away to black.

Kekfa's Hyperdrive zoomed past and exploded into the wall, sending a ripple of hexagons along the invisible boundary.

* * *

Kefka stared at the spot where they just were for he didn't know how long.

He couldn't believe it! He'd had that goody-two shoes and his dead girlfriend DEER-IN-THE-HEADLIGHTS! And they'd GOTTEN AWAY!

"RRRrrr! I hate hate hate hate hate HATE HATE THEM! He always ruins the fun! Wait til I see him again! I'll crush his HELMET! Good luck telling Ulty they got away, Exdeath!"

With a cheeky smile and a toodle-oo wave he disappeared.

Exdeath picked up his sword and sighed.

Ultimecia would not be pleased.


	17. Chapter 17

Cecil's feet hit solid ground with a small splash.

"Cecil! You're back! Is Rosa . . . " Cosmos questioned. She stood from her throne and wrung her hands, craning to try and see Rosa.

"Cosmos," he muttered. He glanced down at Rosa in his arms, then back up to Cosmos. " . . . Please . . . "

"Lay her here." She turned to her throne, and Cecil ran past. He gently lay Rosa on Cosmos' throne and sat down beside her, gingerly stroking her bruised cheek with his thumb.

"My gosh," Cosmos whispered. She immediately bent over Rosa. Cecil watched her face pleadingly while she inspected each wound slowly.

"Please." He brushed a piece of blood-soaked hair from Rosa's face. "Can you help her? Will she be alright? _Please. Please say you'll help her_ ," he finished silently.

"She's lost much blood . . . "

"But can. you. save. her?"

"I'll do my best." She spoke over her shoulder, "Golbez? Thank you, deeply."

Both Cecil and Cosmos turned at the ring of Warrior's sword behind them. He looked pointedly at Golbez over the tip. "There. That's it. Go, fiend. You've done your duty, now begone," he pointed his sword at Golbez helmet, "harbinger of Chaos."

Cecil straightened from Rosa. "Warrior! What are you doing? He saved Rosa's life!"

"Yes. And so he's finished here. I'll neither risk an attack nor have his dark presence contaminate Order's Sanctuary any longer."

Golbez kept a hand pressed to his stomach, but otherwise didn't move. He spoke between ragged breaths, "I'll not leave until Rosa's well-being is assured-"

"Be sure that it is. She's in Cosmos' care. Your presence is neither desired, nor required. Begone from this holy place of light!"

Instead, Golbez's knee buckled, and he collapsed.

Warrior ran in to attack, as Golbez lifted his hands to cast.

"Wait!" yelled Cecil. He called his spear, but before he could move Cosmos stood.

"Stop!" she cried. A shield of light materialized between Golbez and Warrior. "Do not attack this man!" Warrior skidded to a halt."We owe Rosa's life to him! And I sense no evil intent within him. I trust him."

Warrior slowly lowered his sword and grudgingly stared down at Golbez through the shield.

He sighed, "Very well, Cosmos. If you deem him worthy of trust then so shall I." His tone suggested otherwise, but Cecil knew Warrior would keep his word.

"Thank you." The shield disappeared in a flash of light.

Golbez pushed himself to his feet with a grunt of effort. He stayed hunched over, a hand still pressed to his gut.

"Are you wounded?" asked Cosmos.

"'Tis nothing. A scratch. A small price to pay for Rosa's safety." Cosmos moved to approach Golbez, but he stepped back. "N-no. Rosa is more important. Her condition is dire. Tend to her."

Cosmos stared at him for another second, then sighed. "Very well." She turned back to Rosa. Cecil cast away his spear and leaned over her with Cosmos. He stared down at her.

His wife.

He stared a the cut along her cheek, and the large bruise that purpled the other. She had patches of blood in her hair that turned it pink in streaks and knots.

She still looked beautiful. She still looked strong.

She still looked like a queen. His queen.

Cosmos grabbed the arrow in Rosa's side. With a gasp her eyes fluttered open. She winced and panicked, trembling from her weakness. She grabbed Cosmos' wrist and tried to pull her hand away from the arrow as her breath cam in short gasps.

Cecil touched Cosmos' arm. "Cosmos, you're hurting her!"

She let go of the arrow and draped her hand across Rosa's forhead, like she was feeling for her fever, whispering a spell. Rosa's hand slipped from Cosmos' and she fell limp against the throne. Her breathing evened and deepened, and Cecil relaxed with her.

"A simple sleep spell," Cosmos told Cecil, "Just to make this part a bit less painful." She grabbed the arrow and tugged, and it came free with a wet sucking sound. As soon as it was free of her skin, it shimmered and melted away in Cosmos' hand. She frowned into her palm with distaste. She grabbed the arrow in Rosa's shoulder and swiftly tugged it out. It too disappeared into Cosmos' palm. "How very clever," she said dully.

She put a hand to Rosa's stomach and closed her eyes. A green light shone briefly around her hand, then quickly enveloped Rosa's wound, healing it slightly. Her tense body relaxed a bit, and Cosmos touched her shoulder, repeating the spell. She alternated between Rosa's two wounds, healing each in turn until both were little more than a deep cut. She turned to Rosa's face and touched one finger to her scratch, tracing it to her ear. The skin closed smoothly in the wake of her finger.

As Cosmos continued to heal Rosa, Cecil kept his hand in Rosa's. Though she was healed, there was still a chance that she could never wake, or she was still too weak to return to the cycle. She may not survive Purification.

No. He had to stop thinking about that. _Now._ Besides, she hadn't faded away yet. Shinryu hadn't come for her. She was safe. For now. No. _Stop_.

"There." As if on cue, Cosmos stood from Rosa. "She has been healed, to the best of my ability. White magic only goes so far sometimes, and natural healing must take over." She looked from Golbez to Cecil. "She is in good hands until she wakes up."

Cecil closed his eyes. "If _she wakes up_ ," he intoned silently.

He opened his eyes at the sound of clanks, and a deep grunt. Golbez stood, never taking his hand from his stomach. He began slowly trudging towards the edge of Sanctuary.

"You're leaving?" asked Cosmos. She grabbed Golbez's forarm as he passed.

Cecil looked up sharply. "Brother?"

Golbez chuckled lightly, followed by a small gasp through his helmet. "Would you have me stay here?"

"They'll be after you. You'll be safer." Her crystal blue eyes stared into where his eyes should be under the helm.

"Safer? You think remaining here will keep them from finding me? No, the only think I'd do is lead them to your doorstep. Besides, to not return would be worse. I'll not be seen as a coward. A fool, perhaps, but not a coward."

"But-" she dropped her gaze.

"Cosmos," he interrupted, "I condemned myself from the moment I raised a spell against a fellow warrior of Chaos. I am prepared to suffer whatever consequence they deem denessary to me, no matter the extent. And I do not regret my decision. You will not sway my judgement."

"At least let me heal you?"

"No. Exdeath injured me. He already knows I took Rosa to you. It'd be worse if he knew I sought treatment from you as well, considering none of the Chaos warriors are white mages. You have already lent much of your strength to Rosa. You should save the rest."

"But how can I repay your kindness?"

Cosmos looked up, but Golbez was gone.

* * *

A/N: I hope I didn't make Warrior too mean in this chapter . . . His character is so much more than a one-sided hater of Chaos and we'll get to see it later, I just figured if he felt Cosmos was threatened . . . anyway, if you have time please leave a review and let me know what you think of this story so far!

-Keyblader41996


	18. Chapter 18

"You two _lost_ her?!"

Kefka cringed away from Ultimecia as she yelled again, "How does one simply get _away_ when they're beaten to a pulp?!"

"But Ultyyyyy," whined Kefka, "it wasn't our fault! It was that goody-goody Golbez and his half-baked brother! We had her! But then he came and ruined everything! I hate hate hate-"

"I don't care _who_ it was!" she snarled in her smooth purr. She slapped the clown and pulled back to hit Exdeath, but stayed her hand. His armor would have hurt.

Exdeath chuckled. He was glad he brought the clown back when he'd tried to run. He chased the clown all across Void-come, finally catching him at his Tower and dragging him back to Ultimecia with him. He was the target of the physical abuse.

The clown in question rubbed his face where Ultimecia five-starred him. "N'awww, you took off some of my paint!" he cried, inspecting the colors smeared on his yellow glove.

"You two are the worst pair of fools I've ever had the misfortune of co-existing with! He's going to KILL me!"

After a moment of full, thick silence, Exdeath chuckled smugly behind his tin can. "Poor, pitiful witch. How is she to tell the master she serves of her failure, Kefka?"

Ultimecia's mouth snapped shut and her eyes narrowed, but not fast enough. They both heard what she said, and saw the panicked look on her face. The clown put a hand over his mouth to stifle his giggles. Ultimecia laughed dismissively, and the sound tinkled in the air. "It was not _my_ failure, it was your own-"

"Do not forget, mortal sorceress, that the Emperor trusted emyou/em to be in charge of this 'removal' team. It was you that left your target in the care of 'fools.' Who is to blame for that?" Exdeath chided. She crossed her arms and glared at his threat.

Kefka caught on to the banter. "Oooooh, Ulty's in troooooublllllle! Wait till the Emperor finds out what YOU did!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Kefka! All he needs to know is that we got her. She's too battered to be up and about in a while anyway! He won't even see her! We've no need to tell the Emperor!" There was no mistaking the urgent tone that crept into her normally monotonous drawl.

Exdeath smoothly regarded her, "Are you scared of him, Ultimecia? Does he frighten you so? To the point that you should be apprehensive of your fate _should_ you fail him?"

Her painted eyebrow raised and she dropped her arms, spreading her wings and standing at full height. "How dare you! I am afraid of no one-"

"She's definitely afraid, Deathy!"

At Ultimecia's cold gaze Kefka erupted inot a fit of laughter.

"Hm," Exdeath huffed. He took out the jeweled knife Rosa abandoned and tossed it to the bare feet of Ultimecia.

"What is this?" She made no other move to acknowledge the knife.

"A reminder. Of your failure and fear. You may gaze upon it and know of your disappointment." He faded with his last words hanging in the air.

"See you at the meeting, Ulty!" Kefka swiftly departed as well, leaving Ultimecia to stare in disgust at the rubies' soft red refraction on the floor.

* * *

The darkness was so peaceful, so serene. She hoped it would last forever. There was no sensation, no pain. It was blissful, so blissful-

OW! Something sharp in her side startled her. Pain. Agonizing, aching, pain, invading and seizing her peaceful sanctuary. She desperately tried to push away the pain, to fall back into that darkness, into that new comfort she so longed for. But the stinging wouldn't subside. It kept growing more and more intense.

Ow-ow-ow-OW-

She felt a quick, weightless feeling as though she were falling, and jerked herself into conciousness. Who was hurting her? Who wouldn't let her go back to peace? She grabbed the hand that wouldn't let go of the arrow and desperately tried to pry it away.

But the hand wouldn't budge.

She strained and strained, setting the rest of her achy, feverish body on fire, but she barely felt it. They were hurting her, and they needed to stop.

Now, now, NOW-

Cosmos' face leaned over, her bright luminance calming Rosa slightly in her confused, agonized state. She put a hand across Rosa's forhead, as though feeling her fever. Her hand felt cool and soothing against her hot, clammy skin. Rosa vaguely heard a Sleep spell whispered, and she fell back into that tranquil blackness willingly.

It welcomed her like an old friend.


	19. Chapter 19

Rosa wasn't sure when she returned to concious thought. She just felt herself surface, flinching from the pain she expected. When none assaulted her senses, she relaxed in surprise. Bits of broken images and memories slid behind her eyes; a demon of fire, with a ninja hurling Shurikens; a bard singing sweet, passionate songs with a harp of gold; a girl raising her arms to call forth her eidolons . . .

She shook her head of the distracting images. She needed answers. Where was she? Was she healed? Why wasn't she in pain?

Why was she even alive?

Or maybe she was dead! What if this lonely semi-conciousness was what death was?

" _I remember . . . Kekfa, Ultimecia, and Exdeath. They were attacking me, when someone else came, in completely black armor . . ._ "

Realization clicked inside of her mind like a switch illuminating a dark corridor. Behind her eyes the memory played out like a moving picture show:

 _They stood before the huge mage as he raised his hands for an attack. Kain crouched, pushing from the ground and narrowly avoiding a large Firaga. The others, her, Cecil, and a monk all blocked in a defensive stance. Kain plummeted down, lance at the ready, but he missed his Jump as the man teleported slightly, dodging. He laughed loudly._

 _"Such is your power? I expected more."_

 _With a wave of his hands he cast. A freezing wind that cut through her very skin blew rampant in the room, and with a gasp Rosa collapsed, unable to move. She peeked out of the corner of her eye to the others. They, too, seemed frozen by his Binding Cold. Rosa tried desperately to free herself, but to no avail. She stared helplessly as the man raised his hands again._

 _"Open your eyes and gaze upon true terror! Shadow, come forth!"_

 _A pool of darkness crackled and fizzed from between his hands. It grew in the air, stretching and shifting until a head and snout emerged from the blackness, snapping and roaring in their direction. Its four limbs solidified with its body and it touched down, flicking globs of darkness from the end of its tail. The Shadow Dragon reared up on its back legs and roared one last, deafening time before it exhaled its blue fire on them._

 _She screamed in helpless despair as the Black Fangs engulfed them, one by one._

Rosa rocketed upright, startling Cecil and Cosmos both. A dizzy spell washed over her, and she pressed her temples with a hand to steady the spinning room.

"Rosa!" Joy filled Cecil's triumphant smile. "Oh, Rosa, I am so glad you're alright!"

She blinked away the last of the dizziness and stared at Cecil, dumbfounded. Cecil was alive! But how?! Ultimecia said she had killed him!

"Cecil!" she herself sighed, grateful for his presence. "You're alive!" She threw her arms around him. He stiffened, momentarily caught off-guard, then gently wrapped his arms around her waist. Rosa sighed happily. His gentle embrace felt so warm, so delicate and intimate, so genuine. Any trace of doubt melted away, there in his arms, and she let herself be calmed by his essence. She buried her face in his neck as he spoke.

"U-um, well yes! Of course I am! Why do you ask that? You should be more amazed for your own life!"

"Right before she attacked me, Ultimecia said-"

"That wretch is a liar, and a fiend. Any word from that harlot's mouth is not to be trusted!" Warrior interrupted sharply.

Rosa recoiled from the harsh scold, and realized her arms were still around Cecil. She cleared her throat and reluctantly pulled away.

"How . . . how _did_ I survive? I was certain that after that man came, the three of them were going to destroy me. Did another Cosmos warrior find me?"

"It was not one of us," Cecil said. "It was a Chaos warrior."

"A _Chaos_ warrior saved me?! Who?"

"The man who arrived at the end of your battle. The man in the black armor. He fended off Kefka and Exdeath for me so that I was able to gather you up, then he teleported both of us away, to Sanctuary."

"Who was it? Who is he?"

"You don't know? Golbez."

She was too stunned to speak. Golbez was her enemy! He was the man in her memory; who attacked her and the party so voilently! It was he who tried to destroy their planet!

Before she could object, Cosmos put a light hand on her knee. "Rosa, how are you feeling?"

"As though I've been struck by a rogue chocobo." She looked down at her ragged, blood-stained clothes. Her haulter top was ripped where she had been stabbed in her side. Through the hole poked a jagged, raised scar in her skin. Her tights were ripped in several places, and one of her boots was charred and black from Kefka's burns. A scarlet stain trailed from her shoulder, pooled around her middle and back, and trickled again to her belt, where it ended. She sighed, running a hand through her hair, only to have her fingers tangle in the mats and knots that used to be her small bun. With her free hand she touched her bruised cheek, still slightly swollen and yellow and hot from the healing contusion. She looked up to Cosmos, who nodded.

"Indeed. A change of clothes, then we will talk."

"I haven't anytyhing to change into . . . " She hated being the one that everyone must care for. She looked down, embarrassed.

"Fret not. I am sure that someone has some garments that they are willing to let you borrow."

She had to settle for Bartz's spare tunic and leggings. (Apparently, the mime often negated the need to stow away his belongings: "You're sure he won't mind?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine with it," Cecil said. "He'll probably not even realize its absense!")

He was tall, the green boots rose past her knees, but he was surprisingly lean. The tunic fit her easily. She shrugged on the clothes in the shadow of a ravine just outside of Sanctuary, then used the water from Warrior's and Cecil's canteens that they loaned her to rinse out her hair.

Once the water ran clean through her hair and she finger-combed vigorously, she returned to Cosmos.

The goddess sat patiently in her throne. "Rosa."

All heads swiveled to her and she straightened her back and lifted her chin, trying not to look as self-conscious as she felt while she crossed the pond.

Cosmos smiled sadly. "Tell me what happened."

Rosa recounted the entire tale, beginning with Kefka's first appearance, followed by Exdeath and Ultimecia. She painfully recalled every detail, watching as Cecil's face morphed throughout her story; first to sad compassion, then to anger, back to calm and collected, then back again to rage. At one point, darkness began to ball around his shaking fists, fury threatening to overpower his Paladin. Then as quickly as it came he unclenched his fists, as though caught between REVENGE NOW and care for Rosa's feeling first.

When she finished, ending with Golbez's arrival, Cecil looked ready to drop kick a Moogle. "Why? _Why_ would they do this? Why you?"

"Why, indeed," said Cosmos quietly. "An attack of such blatant means . . . This could merely be an attack upon my warriors and I. However, the way they accomplished it . . . such an attack has not been constituted by Chaos' forces for some time. Also, the manner of their arrival suggests it was pre-determined. But by who? And why Rosa, a new warrior?"

"Retaliation?" she offered. "I bested the Emperor and he wanted revenge? I don't particularly _want_ to think too deeply into it. Because either way, random or not, I was alone, and they were looking for a warrior of Cosmos to punish. It was myself today."

"That is another possible explanation," Cosmos admitted. "But he was not one of the ones to attack you. That puts that theory to the test. Still, the whole attack leaved me uneasy for their future plans."

"Ultimecia, when she left, said claimed that she was going to report to their 'leader.' At the time I assumed she meant Chaos. He would've been the most logical explanation. But what if she meant the Emperor? He could've hired them."

"Yes, I have monitored Chaos' actions. He has not ordered a direct attack on anyone yet. The most we know is that his warriors took it upon themselves. _Who_ orchestrated it, or _why_ , is still beyond our knowledge."

"Well, did Golbez mention anything? Any future plans, anything that we should prepare for?"

"He did not-"

"Didn't you ask?"

"Your well-being was our first priority."

"So our greatest source of information is lost to us. How are we to know of who is behind this, and the rest of their intentions?"

"Let's think: who do we all know that enjoys control, and pushing others around? It probably _was_ the Emperor." They all turned towards the comment to see Firion strolling in with Vaan and the Onion Knight. Vaan had a pile of metal and wood in his hands.

"Here." He adjusted the pile in his arms and she realized that pile of wood and metal was the remains of her bow and staff. "I guess Kefka and them musta broken it." The whole metal rod was broken in two, deliberately blasted apart with a powerful Firaga. The pink ribbon hung defeated from the mangled metal, as if it knew of its loss. "There's . . . this too." He outstretched his arms and held out her bow. The string had been cut, and a whole end was broken off. Vaan smiled apologetically as she took the remains of her weapons.

"I'll have to fashion a new one." New bows took months if one was EXTREMELY precise and careful, as she had to be with carving it. She laid them gently in the water of Sanctuary. "How did you find them? I didn't even realize I left them."

Onion folded his arms. "Cosmos appeared to us and told us to go get them. They musta went back to break them."

"I see . . . My knife?" she asked, aware that she hadn't been handed her a broken jeweled knife.

"Knife?" asked Vaan. "We didn't see a knife."

Perfect. Now she had _no_ weapons.

"Thank you, everyone," she said tersely. It wasn't Vaan's fault that her knife had been lost, but she wanted desperately to scream at him, to yell and rant and unload on him, on _anyone_! They had taken her weapons, her pride, nearly her LIFE! Why shouldn't she be furious?

As if sensing her boiling anger, Cosmos put a reassuring hand on Rosa's shoulder. "Do not worry. I will have the Moogle Cid craft you new weapons, and we _will_ get to the bottom of this. Is there anything else you know? Did Ultimecia menion any other targets? Any other plans?"

"No. Nothing. Ultimecia left, Golbez came, and I lost consciousness."

"Thank you, Rosa."

"Um, Rosa? Did your fight with the Chaos warriors bring anything back? Any memories?"

She sat for a moment, recalling upon what she should tell him. She still felt as though she had only reclaimed so little! it hadn't been a battle, it was more like a smack-down, but still. Shouldn't something else have come back besides one memory, and blurry faces?

Finally, she answered, gathering all the bits she could recount. "Yes, a bit. Mostly nameless faces. A bard, with a gold harp."

"Edward."

"A ninja, who covered everything but his eyes."

"Also Edward, but we called him Edge."

She nodded her acceptance. "And, also, a green-haired summoner."

"Her name is Rydia-"

"Heeey!" Bartz called, running in with Zidane and Yuna. "We're back from patrol, and-" His eyes locked on Rosa and he cocked his head to the side. "Wait- . . . Rosa, is that my tunic?"


	20. Chapter 20

Golbez teleported to the Lunar Subterraine, in the safe shadow of a large plateau. As soon as his feet touched solid ground he collapsed to a knee. He quickly dropped the other and fell back against the rock, sucking in sharp, painful breaths.

"At . . . at least Rosa is- . . . is safe. As is Cosmos, and Cecil . . . " he said to himself.

At least he hoped so. He reached up and pulled his heavy helm from his head slowly, gulping with the pressing fear that gripped his heart. He only assumed they would be safe when he left. Who is to say Kefka and Exdeath hadn't neglected him and caught up with them swiftly after his departure? Who is to say they aren't being attacked right now?

He set the helm in the soft moon dirt next to him with a muffled thud. The fresh air seemed to make breathing easier, and he relaxed a bit. His black armor was sleeked around the wound from his blood. He tore at his gauntlets and gloves, ripping them from his hands and cursing his own weakness.

" _Pitiful. Rosa sustains injury after injury, and I am crippled after one blow_." He snorted. " _This is the testament to my weakness_."

If only Kluya could see him now. How disappointed he'd be.

Golbez rested his head back against the rock behind him, silver hair scratching softly against the high collar of his chest plate. His stomach ached deeply, and though he'd staunched the bleeding slightly, it still seeped, and tore when he sat down.

He sighed. Hopefully, when they caught him, they would make it quick.

He was a warrior of Chaos. He didn't deserve the luxury of hope.

* * *

Back again before Chaos, the Emperor obediently bowed with the others. It had only been mere days since Chaos' last . . . outburst towards him, and he was in absolutely no position to warrant another attack.

Especially now, since his plans were in action.

From his peripheral, he scanned the room. Directly to his left was Kuja. Then Exdeath, Kefka, Jecht, the Cloud of Darkness, and Ultimecia. On his right was Garland and Sephiroth. All but Golbez had shown up for this meeting. " _Interesting_ ," thought the Emperor. " _I was punished for speaking out of turn. How will Golbez be punished for his truancy, I wonder?_ "

"Rise, warriors. Rise and look among you," Chaos grunted. Curious glances scanned the room, not understanding Chaos' order. "Look among you and observe the gap in our ranks."

Ultimecia crossed her arms as her narrow eyes swept the crowd. "Interesting."

Kefka had a hand above his eyebrows, shielding his eyes as he poked through the warriors. "Yeees, a six-and-a-half-foot, at-least-three-hundred-pounds-with-that-armor-on GAP!" Kefka returned to Ultimecia's side and said, "The coward isn't even _trying_ to keep up appearances!"

"Of course not! He's not _simple,_ Kefka! Why would the wounded gazelle prance into the lion's den, hm?"

The Emperor silently eavesdropped on their hushed exchange. Did they know of Golbez's whereabouts?

"According to a few of our own," Garland added, staring Kefka and Ultimecia into complete silence, "This warrior decided to abandon his calling of discord and aid a wounded warrior of Harmony."

Chaos nodded. "Indeed. He must be . . . rebuttled for his crimes. Destroy the traitor. But remind him first of where his allegiences should have lied."

"Wo-hoah! Two in one day!" Kefka jumped into the air and threw his arm around Exdeath. "It's our lucky day!"

The Emperor was already calculating, trying to put the pieces together in his mind. They killed Rosa, of that much he was sure. Ultimecia had givn him her knife as proof, stained with Rosa's blood. He had no doubt that she was destroyed. They had to have gone after another Cosmos warrior, and Golbez intervened. That was silly of him, to cross two of the most ruthless Chaos warriors like so. Neither Kefka nor Exdeath would show him any mercy.

By the time the Emperor formed the whole puzzle he realized him and the three in question were still there.

"Well go on," Garland said, attempting to frighten them off with what the Emperor could only assume was a glare. "You have your task. Begone."

Ultimecia pointed to the clown and Exdeath. "Kefka, Exdeath, with me." She disappeared with the two of them.

One by one the others disappeared, leaving only the Emperor. Their gazes clashed and sparred until the Emperor felt safe that Garland knew he wasn't going to back down. "The warriors that told you of Golbez's betrayal. Was it Kefka and Exdeath?"

"Perhaps. What is it to you?"

"Did they say who they were attacking when he interrupted?"

Garland snorted. "Run along, weakling, before Chaos finds more reason to attack you."

His steely gaze at Garland immediately fell with a shift of Chaos in his throne, and he quickly departed.

" _What do Kefka, Exdeath, and Ultimecia know of Golbez's betrayal? And who else is joining in on his manhunt_?"

He returned to his throne atop Pandaemonium. He'd find out soon enough, he supposed.


	21. Chapter 21

"Hm. Your footing needs work. Your balance is too easily _thrown_." On the last word, Warrior broke the block he held with Rosa. She stumbled forward and splashed into the water of Sanctuary.

She wiped a bead of sweat trickling from her forhead and got up, picking up Bartz's Brave Blade and holding it up for the umpteenth time.

Rosa felt especially bad for the sword; she had already borrowed Bartz's spare clothes while her normal garments were being replaced. But Warrior had insisted on seeing her with a sword for some reason she couldn't fathom, and Bartz had insisted, saying he didn't mind and his would be the best weight for her anyhow.

She had been frustrated during a majority of her battles. Sword obviously wasn't her best, ontop of the fact that while Warrior was "judging her talents," as he put it, she was distracted close to 80 percent of the time due to small battle-triggered memories. And Warrior continually pushing her on her butt or letting her fall face-first into the water didn't help her mood either.

"Again." Warrior gripped his sword with two hands, having abandoned his shield for original fairness to Rosa. He brought the hilt up close to his ear and left the point aimed directly at her. She sighed.

It was going to be a long day.

 _She staggered again, nearly face-planting into the sand. So hot . . . she_ had _to be close to Damcyan. Or Cecil. She wasn't even that far behind Cecil. She tried to catch up to him and the others, but she'd started to slow down from dehydration, and had probably taken a wrong turn anyway in the endless dunes. The sand blew again with a dry gust of hot wind and burned her eyes, blurring her vision-_

Rosa blinked hard, wiping furiously at her eyes as she tried to clear the memory's searing sand. She heard a battle cry and barely remembered to parry Warrior's sword.

"Concentrate," he warned. She blinked and realized her eyes no longer burned. She had been overcome by the memory. She hefted her own sword, pushing Warrior away.

 _She still trudged through the endless sand, each new step like a lead weight upon her legs. She shivered again. The dull throb of simple fatigue had long since subsided to an ache in every single muscle. Her foot sunk in the soft dune, and she lost the effort to lift her boots from the suck of the sea._

 _She collapsed there, shivering uncontrollably with a feverish chill as the sun glared down at her. Weakly she lifted her head and tried to call out, but her parched, swollen throat failed her. She only managed a hoarse whisper as the desert fever took over her completely._

 _"Cecil . . . "_

Warrior's blade clanged against hers once more, sending jarring vibrations up and down both arms. She faltered, retaining her grip on the sword, and pressed back with all her might, but Warrior slid his blade down hers until the tip of Bartz's Brave Blade was pushed down into the water. He threw his shoulder into her and she staggered back. Before she fell, he grabbed the front of Bartz's tunic and jerked her forward, throat inches from the tip of the sword.

"You are petit." His breath came easy while Rosa was gasping. She tried to calm herself as she stared down the sword to Warrior. "Though your strength is undisputed, you will not be capable of overcoming your adversaries using brute force," he noted.

Rosa grit her teeth. "Give me a bow and I'll not have to." Warrior had made it a habit of pointing out her every mistake. He wasn't doing any of it out of arrogance, she knew, but that didn't make his criticism any less infuriating.

Warrior let go of her collar and she fell to her knees.

"Yes, but if you are stripped of your bow, as you were before, you'll need to make due, will you not?" he countered evenly.

"Well, if I don't bring a sword into battle in the first place, how am I supposed to _get_ one? They don't just appear out of thin air! I carry three weapons into battle: my bow, my knife, and my staff for white magic. Nothing else. If they get lost, I have nothing! Nor can I obtain anything else in the middle of a battle! Why are you training me with the sword when I do not USE one?!" she snapped.

Warrior was silent, and she knew he had no answer. She took the opportunity to turn away and stride to where Cecil and Firion were standing behind Cosmos, in the middle of Sanctuary.

"Give me your bow," she said tersely.

He blinked up at her, shocked by the sudden order. She outstretched her hand to him.

"M-my bow? But, it's too big. The draw weight-"

"Give me the bow!"

Firion shrugged the huge longbow from his shoulder.

"Arrows."

"But I don't-"

"EVERY archer carries a spare quiver. I know you have one."

His quiver and bow were lowered into her hands and she spun and strutted back to the edge of Sanctuary.

Rosa stomped back to Warrior in a rage. How DARE he make a mockery of her abilities when she wasn't using her strongest weapon. She turned back ot where the others were sitting. Cecil was moving his hands, still talking animatedly to Firion, not even paying attention.

She met eyes with Cosmos, who gave her a soft smile and a nod. She raised her hand, splaying her fingers wide in the air above her head. Rosa nodded back, nocked an arrow and, with a deep breath, drew in her direction. It was a heavy draw weight, but not too heavy, and she felt the familiar pull of her shoulder and arm muscles as she held the string taut. The fingers of her right hand brushed the corner of her mouth. She smiled slightly, lining up her shot.

"What are you doing?" asked Warrior, taking a step towards her. "Don't-!"

She loosed the arrow straight for Cosmos.

It flew true to it's mark, flying straight between Cosmos' outstretched middle and ring fingers, directly across Cecil's vision. It embedded in one of the white walls that rose from the floor behind the three of them. Cecil flinched instinctively from the hiss of the arrow across his nose and fell backwards into the shallow water. He looked over to Rosa and she smiled, lowering Firion's bow. "Impressive," he said.

Firion added, "VERY impressive! That shot was over 100 meters, and near perfect-"

Warrior interrupted his praise, "But ONE lucky shot . . . "

In one fluid motion the bow was up and drawn with another arrow notched and ready. She sighted and fired arrow after arrow in rapid succession, until the quiver was empty in a manner of seconds. She lowered the bow an extended her hand for Warrior to see her work.

The two of them walked towards where Rosa's first arrow struck. In the wall, made of arrow shafts, was the shape of a flower with a stem and five petals.

She walked Firion's quiver back to him as they all stared at the wall. Even Vaan, Bartz, the Onion Knight, and Yuna drifted over from where they were standing to marvel at her marksmanship.

"Thank you," he mumbled when she handed him her bow.

Rosa turned and stared back at Warrior. "Well, if that'd be all, ladies and gentlemen, I'll be going." She continued to stare at him, daring him to say more. When he didn't she smiled pleasantly. "Cosmos," she said, dropping a low courtsey that was more than awkward in Bartz's tunic. She turned and held her breath as she walked away, but no reply came from anyone.

"Thank the heavens," she silently said.

But before she got far, Warrior's voice called out, "Next we shall test your skills with knives, since they ARE in your repertoire!"

She bit her tongue to hold back a snide reply as she departed.

* * *

A loud bang behind him startled Golbez awake.

His eyes snapped open and he quickly looked around, but in the dead silence that followed, he wasn't even sure he heard anything in the first place.

Using the wall for support, he slowly stood, groaning with the strain on his stiff, aching joints. He raised his head stiffly and rubbed his neck deeply, stretching it this way and that. With an ungloved hand, he gently prodded at his wound. Almost closed. The potions he downed earlier had almost worked.

Another loud bang like the one he'd woken from rang out again and he jumped, heart immediately racing. He stood stock-still, hearing for any more noise.

 ** _BANG!_** Then a whiny, high-pitched voice carried to him.

"Yoooooohoooo! Goooooolbyyyyy! Come out, come out wherever you arrrrrre!"

 ** _BANG!_** Directly behind him. Bits of the rock he was leaning against showered over the top of the plateau.

"Come onnn, Golby! We just wanna talk!" **_BANG!_** More rock showers. "We know you're heeeeere . . . " in a deeper, growling tone he finished, "and we'll FIND YOU!"

Kefka threw another Firaga into the rock, and the whole thing shattered, staggering Golbez forward several steps. He spun quickly to face Kefka, Ultimecia, and Exdeath.

Kefka's painted smile widened with a real one. But it never reached his eyes.

"Got 'im!"

* * *

A/N: So this is Part 1! When I started writing Part 2 a while ago, I decided to switch the main conflict from Rosa's memory and regaining all of it to more focus on the Emperor and his schemes since we're going to start to see how Rosa and all the Cosmos warriors tie into his plan! I hope you liked part 1, and if you have time make sure you leave a review! Thanks so much!

-Keyblader41996


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: The start of Part II! So when I originally posted this to DeviantArt, I took a loooong break between Parts I and II simply because I didn't want to publish until I could clearly project when I could be done. While I was writing my story started to turn in a different direction - Rosa's memory and her relationship with Cecil started taking a backseat, simply because it was predictable, so as I was writing I subconsciously decided to focus on the Unpredictable element of my story: the Emperor. That is this part.**

 **Before you start reading, here's to sum up the time skip introduced between Part I and II: It's been a few weeks, and a few cycles since the end of Chapter 21! The Chaos warriors have been silent lately and haven't really been carrying out the Emperor's plans, much to the Emperor's chagrin, but because of that, Rosa hasn't had any encounters with the cycle yet and is still in the dark about it. However, she's been there a while, so she's regained a good bit of her memory. And, you're off!**

* * *

"Rosa, we need a scout to find a moogle and round up some supplies for the general stock," Warrior told her. "Would you be willing to go?"

She nodded, and started strapping her quiver and staff behind her back. A shadow loomed over her and she turned quickly, coming face-to-face with Kain.

"Oh!" she said, nearly dropping the handful of new arrows she made to put in her quiver. While she regained her hand, she looked up at the Dragoon. "Yes, Kain?"

"My lady, I request to accompany you on your search," he said.

She frowned, recalling her promise to herself to never go anywhere alone with Kain until she remembered more of him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, no, she trusted all of her allies. But her sole memory of him that returned was different, and, as childish as it sounded, scary. Her instincts told her to be uneasy around him. Besides, only ONE memory of him alone returning was more than suspicious. Why weren't there more if he was someone she could put her faith in?

"Uum, sure, Kain," she said, realizing that she had been keeping him waiting. "But may Cecil come as well?"

"Cecil?" he asked.

"Yes, Cecil," she dead-panned. Before he could reply either way she turned and spotted the man's white armor easily. "Cecil! Join us as well?"

"Excuse me," Kain said, walking away as Cecil approached.

"Oh! Kain's not coming?" Cecil asked, staring after Kain.

"I suppose not."

"Ah, well, he probably has other important things to do. Kain's time is never squandered. Shall we?" he asked, holding out his arm to her. With a small smile she took his arm, and he led her like an escort. "We'll be back shortly!" he called over his shoulder.

"Have fun, you crazy kids!" Zidane yelled. Both stopped to stare at the Genome before continuing out of Sanctuary.

They walked together in comfortable silence, both lost in deep thought, though Rosa's surrounded Cecil. He'd been her greatest ally and closest friend since she'd started fighting in the cycles (albeit a bit touchy at first). He was always there when she had to talk out a new memory, or if she wanted to try to spark new memories, he was always the one to spar with her. He'd helped most of her memories of her journey come back, and after a while she took to enjoying his company more than anyone else's.

She didn't even realize they walked so far until the glare of the sun off the snow ahead caught her attention. Of all the places she saw in this realm, the Elven Snow Fields were by far her favorite. The quiet, soft snow left almost a feeling of security, if she could even call it that. Maybe security wasn't the right word, no. . . peace, perhaps? If the gentle, frail snow could blanket and thrive undisturbed, then surely it wasn't often an open battleground. Nor were the gateways among the fields. When she walked there, she felt serene, at peace.

"You know," Cecil was the first to break the silence, "I'll wager that this whole realm looks even more beautiful from above as it does just walking through. There was a time I would've simply flown an airship over this land instead of meandering through it."

"Yes, I remember," she said. "You were the captain of the Red Wings, the King's first in command. You were the best navigator in Baron."

"Well thank you! What else do you recall?"

"Something happened on your mission to Mysidia, and the King stripped you of your rank. He sent you and Kain together on another mission, but it went awry."

This was the first time she recounted any of it in succession before, and it startled even her.

Cecil nodded eagerly. "What else, Rosa?"

"We went later to Fabul to warn them after hearing of Golbez's plan to steal the crystals, and while we were there, Golbez attacked. He kidnapped me and took me away after he beat all of you. But you rescued me. You, and I think Kain, and-"

"Kain?" Cecil's smile faltered. "Is that how you remember it?"

"Well, yes. There's a few gaps, and bits and pieces missing, but I think so. . . why? What happened to Kain?" she asked.

She recalled her first memory of the Dragoon when she first met him. She was tied up, and he was standing alongside Golbez. But there had been nothing else to prove either good or bad of Kain, so she dismissed the memory.

"Nothing, Rosa. I just remember it a little. . . differently is all."

She was about to question how it was that Cecil remembered it when her boot crunched on her first step in the Snow Fields. She slid her arms from Cecil's to run ahead and take in the sudden change to brisk air, and feel the first gust of winter wind that blew through. She scooped up a handful of fine snow, clenching it between her fingertips.

"I love this snow! It just doesn't fall like this in Baron," she told Cecil, forgetting that he would already know that. "The crystals prevented any sort of weather from damaging the crops and water supplies. I remember as much." She held the snow until the cold that bit her fingers and wrists became too much. She dropped the snow and shook the rest from her hands, trying at the same time to shake a little feeling back to her fingertips.

Realizing Cecil's prolonged silence, she looked up right as he stepped up to her. Without a word he reached out and clasped her frozen hand between his strong, warm, gently calloused hands. He chafed her hand with his, warming her from her palm to her fingertips, then back to her palm.

She looked up into his eyes only to find him already staring at her. His hands slowly stopped to just rest overtop of hers. That royal blue, so pretty a color. And so familiar a color. His gaze so trusting and warm. . . whatever cold she'd been feeling just ebbed away from his light. She realized how close they were, the steam of his breath and hers swirling together in the small space between them, and she felt that she had to be closer, that she wanted to throw her arms around him, and never let go.

She felt like she loved him.

Love? Easy there, Rosa! Ever since she lost herself with him that one time, she started to get these different emotions. They would flare up every time she was around him, but then disappear as suddenly as they came. And she had no memories to back them up. That was one huge gap that had yet to be filled. She had no memory of ever _loving_ Cecil, of ever losing herself in his eyes the way she sometimes did now. She wanted to think that they were just stubborn emotions that failed to come with her memories, and were just catching up now.

Besides, it was impossible for her to bring herself to love him as anything more than friends.

" _Jumping to conclusions?_ " she asked herself. " _They could be for someone else, who you just don't remember yet_." She _had_ to stop indulging her own tangents.

Sensing Rosa's retreat, Cecil backed away and pulled her by the hand over to a snow bank. He took his hand from hers and reached for his shoulders, unclasping the cape from his back. He laid it on the ground on the snow bank, motioning for her to sit.

"What else, Rosa? What else do you remember?"

"I remember. . . my relief when you rescued me. I remember the dread I felt knowing that if you came for me you'd fall into their trap. But you still came despite the danger. You know, it's been a few weeks since I've been here, and it's thanks to you that I've remembered so much. Thank you for being such a friend to me. I truly appreciate everything."

He put his arm around her shoulder and smiled, but for the first time, Rosa realized, it didn't reach his eyes.

"Absolutely, Rose. You can always count on me. I'll always be here for you."

She leaned into him, sharing the heat between them, just enjoying the comfort despite her inner conflict. But why was HE so sad?

She shivered with a gust that blew through her, and Cecil stood, pulling her up with him. "I think we should go back before we both wind up with frostbite."

They walked back to Sanctuary with an odd sort of new silence that they hadn't left with. By then their original goal was long forgotten

* * *

 **A/N: So, not necessarily a good pilot for Part II. I just wanted to establish that much of her memory's returned, she's just unsure of what to DO with it since the emotional aspect is still largely missing. I hope that makes sense! If you have time, remember to leave a review!**

 **-Keyblader41996**


	23. Chapter 23

Kain angrily stabbed his lance into the water of Sanctuary, and a little spray of water left droplets on his armor. But it went ignored.

" _Hmph! How appropriate that even with her memory close to gone she would prefer_ Cecil's _company. Perfect_ Cecil. _Comforting, loving_ Cecil. _Cecil the Paladin, Cecil the savior of worlds. Cecil, Cecil, Cecil._ " Kain crossed his arms and let the wave of bitterness he'd been holding in wash over him. " _Oh, and his beautiful_ wife _, Rosa. The most beautiful woman in_ Baron. _And then there's that Kain. Kain who? Kain Highwind, the traitor. The double-crosser. Let's not forget that Kain betrayed his allies, not once, but twice!"_

He knew he was acting like a jealous child, but he couldn't stop the anger from building up. This awkward universe was the ONE place he thought he could be without competing with Cecil or being overshadowed by him. Everybody loves Cecil. And especially Rosa. Rosa loves Cecil-

" _Enough!"_ he told himself. " _Enough! Stop this, now._ "

He refused to think like that any longer. He was done being the fool, letting his old emotions hold him captive. He was through with this childish jealousy. He swore as much from the moment he regained himself for good from Golbez.

Ah, but every time he though of her, her beautiful face, her eyes, her smile. . .

"And how she'll never love me!" he snapped to himself.

From the moment Kain told the King he wanted to be a Dragoon and honor his father he was cast aside. The King preferred Cecil over him, and soon everyone else did as well. He was always one step behind Cecil, lost to the shadows of his rival's dark armor. Then it became worse when he became a Paladin. Instead of blending with his shadows, he was cast into Cecil's light, and finally everyone saw just how like the shadows he'd become.

There she came, returning from patrol with HIM. It was only fitting that her light be drawn to his.

She scanned the crowd upon crossing into Sanctuary, and when her eyes locked on him, he realized she'd been looking for him. He watched her stride over to him, and when she stopped in front of him he bowed.

"My Lady."

"Kain, may I ask you something?"

"Absolutely, Rosa. Anything."

"Did something happen to you on our journey together?"

Any expectations of a nice conversation with her were dashed. His arms tightened across his chest, and he was sure his frown lines were going to be there permanently at this rate.

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but he could hear his own tight, clipped tone.

"Well when I mentioned you and Cecil saving me when Golbez kidnapped me to him, he made it seem as though something was wrong, but he wouldn't tell me-"

"Hmph! It figures I would need _Cecil_ to preserve my image," he said snidely.

"What? What are you talking about?" she asked. But unfortunately she started a tangent that Kain wasn't about to swallow and choke down again, regardless of who was listening.

" _Cecil_ wouldn't say anything harming about me. . . how touching. What a sweet little _Paladin_."

"Kain, why are you saying these things?"

"Of COURSE he would tell you to ask me personally. He would've wanted me to say it myself, to let me tarnish my own reputation." He knew that wasn't true, but his emotions weren't letting him stop even though he could see he was hurting Rosa. "So, you can't remember me at ALL, can you? I wonder why that is? Perhaps you're doing yourself a favor!"

Her features shifted from slight confusion to anger. "Kain, stop it! I don't know why you're acting this way, but-"

"Of course not. Perhaps the reason the memories of ME are being blocked is because of all the time spent with HIM. It wouldn't be the first time I've been overlooked because of perfect Cecil."

She gasped, her eyes widening with a memory so forceful it made her stagger. She looked back up at Kain, and he could tell she was far away, lost in the memory.

"Rosa?" he asked.

She snapped back to reality, looking around frantically, until she realized where she was. Her eyes locked with Kain's, a look of absolute terror and anger striking her face, and she turned to run. But Kain's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

"Rosa, I'm sorry. What do you remember?" Maybe he could try to set things right, like he was always trying to do. She pulled away, however, and ran back to where Cecil was. While Kain watched he put his hands on both her shoulders and leaned don to peer into her face as they exchanged words.

Suddenly he had to get out. He Jumped away as fast and as hard as he could, and in a few short bounds he was resting on the top of Mount Gulg.

For everything he tried to set right, there was always his deepest emotions to break free of their suppression and drag him screaming back to their dark depths.

Perfect.

* * *

Like flint clicking together to start a fire, a memory clicked inside of Rosa.

" _I will convey our terms to him," Kain said to Golbez. The terms of her exchange for the crystal. The terms Kain just informed Golbez of.  
_  
" _Kain, please," she pleaded with him, "stop this. I know you can hear me, Kain! I know you're in there!"_

 _"I'll prove it to you," Kain said, like he didn't hear her. He turned back to look at her, but his eyes were not his own. A sort of rage that she'd never see before burned in his eyes to the point where she shied away against her ropes and bonds. "You'll see soon enough I'm superior to your Cecil."_

 _With a last cold smile to her he turned an walked from the room._

She snapped back from the memory and the first thing she saw was Kain.

" _RUN!"_ her instincts screamed to her. " _Run, NOW!_ "

She spun around but Kain's hand shot out and caught her wrist, jerking her back. She struggled, the grip tightening and tightening until it hurt. She didn't even hear what he asked her. She just ripped her arm out of his grip, running straight for Cecil. She barreled right into his arms.

"Rosa? Rosa, what's wrong?" He put both hands on her shoulders and leaned down to look into her face.

"I- I don't know! I saw a memory, but it. . . I. . . " She turned back to Kain and Cecil followed her gaze. But after a moment Kain bounded away.

"It's alright, Rosa. Let's go," he said, leading her to another end of Sanctuary where they could be alone. "We'll sort this out. Just tell me what you saw."


	24. Chapter 24

It was quiet. _Too_ quiet. And it had been so for several cycles now. His team had been nothing but a waste of time. They only managed a few warriors on Chaos' side for each of the few short cycles that went by, and it was usually people they were holding a grudge against, or just didn't like. The same people over and over: Golbez, Kuja, occasionally Jecht. . . He didn't even _know_ what was happening on Cosmos' front.

This was not at all how the Emperor expected this to go. He expected them to make a plan or system to work efficiently through the warriors. But then he remembered who he was talking about. Two out of the three weren't smart enough to know an assassination from mass murder. Ultimecia was the only one with enough of a brain to get anything done, but even _she_ was holding out for some reason.

He sighed irritably, picking up the jewel-hilted knife of _hers_ Ultimecia had given him as the proof and prize of their kill.

" _At least they managed one thing_ ," he thought to himself, turning the knife this way and that to spin and admire the refractions on the floor. He asked for _her_ out of the war, and they obliged, apparently beating her so badly they ensured she'd _never_ be back.

Maybe he should set them right? They'd never realize they were failing him unless he told them. There. That was it. He'd talk with them.

But first things were first: he HAD to find SOME way to occupy his time. He wasn't in the mood to deal with imbeciles.

He eventually decided on a whim to spy on Cosmos' forces. He hadn't ventured out in a while; he was too afraid of being defeated in a chance encounter, and he couldn't risk his plans falling through. Not that he'd tell a SOUL.

Besides, he could view Cosmos' situation and gather intel to pass onto his team when he gave tem their scolding. At least, he could until the Warrior sensed his presence and pointed out his location.

He disappeared into the World Between and looked for Order's Sanctuary. That's what they all dubbed the meta-physical world that they enter when they teleport. He zoomed past worlds and gateways left and right, Ultimecia's Castle, Dream's End, the Chaos Shrine, when he finally came upon Sanctuary. He hovered above the world, not quite entering, but not exactly in the World Between either. He looked towards the cluster of warriors, where a majority of them were grouped.

Hmph! There was Firion, the imbecile; the monkey boy and the dumb child with the metal vest; Golbez's silver-haired kin; Spikes (as Jecht called Cloud once. The name stuck.); and Jecht's off-spring. They talked animatedly with one another, throwing their hands or arms around occasionally. No reconnaissance here. Sparring in another section of Sanctuary was Ultimecia's counterpart, and the pink-haired one. The Warrior was talking to Cosmos, but the Emperor doubted he could get anywhere CLOSE to listening before one of the two of them picked up on his presence.

" _Do they never_ leave?" he asked himself. None of Chaos' stayed at he Edge of Madness for more than 15 minutes if they could manage it.

He considered abandoning his mission, but not before giving the crowd one final scan, nearly missing two other warriors off by themselves. The tall Kain chatted with a blonde woman-

The Emeror blinked hard, thinking his eyes had deceived him. But no, he looked again, capturing the beautiful aura of power around her. He saw the gold-plumed arrows he became all too familiar with across her back. He circled around her, taking in her presence, her beauty, her body, her _essence-_ all that she so rudely denied him before. He finally settled on her face, and nearly choked.

Rosa. Joanna. _Farrell_.

" _But she. . ._ HOW, _I. . . Ultimecia, she_ -" Full sentences couldn't even form amidst his shock. " _That woman is_ dead! _She's not there! I'm seeing a ghost! Yes, that's it!_ " If it mean his sanity over this woman, then so be it!

He had her knife! Indeed, her knife, as proof of her death! He pulled out the weapon from his belt and looked along her waist for the knife to her belt.

It wasn't there. She had another made to replace it.

" _But. . . Ultimecia, she-_ "

He face-palmed, like full realization smacking him in the face.

 _Ulimecia_ gave him the knife. _She_ lied to him. She didn't kill Rosa. She got away, and Ultimecia only let him THINK she killed her.

How DARE she deceive him? How DARE she try to make a fool of him! An uncharacteristically unbridled, uncontrolled, untamd RAGE bubbled in the pit of the Emperor's stomach and he resisted the urge to kill a warrior, right then and there. She waned to disobey HIM? They would try to hide their failure from HIM and play HIM for the fool? He'd show them what TRUE HELL looked like! He was going to make her PAY! ALL of them would PAY!

His fist clenched around his staff until the purple claws turned white. His staff rattled with his shaking fury, and he left to find the three of them.

Oh, yes, how they would PAY!


	25. Chapter 25

Ultimecia headed straight for the Rift after spotting the Emperor at her tower.

He did NOT look happy.

There were two explanations: 1. He found out that they had been neglecting Cosmos' warriors for three whole cycles now, or 2. He found out about Rosa. She hoped it was the latter. She had a point of blackmail that she could use to possibly divert some of his anger.

He went straight for her castle, probably after spotting Rosa, and immediately started destroying things, using his bombs to mutilate her tower, starting with the top level. He blasted holes all through the top ledge, then used Flares on the boards down the middle ramp, throwing bits of charred wood and shrapnel.

"Ultimecia," he called, "there's something I would like to _discuss_ with you!" She ended up hiding in the shadows of one of the far lower levels, but after a series of more bangs and yells she realized he wasn't going to relent until he found her. As if to accent her point, right then he screamed, "When I find you, witch. . ."

She got out, teleporting for the Rift.

She strode up to Exdeath. "Let's go. The Emperor's after us."

"After us? Or is it just _you_ he hunts adamantly?" he chuckled. "As of now, your tower is the only place he's target judging from the distant noises."

"He's probably on his way emhere/em. I think he's found out about Rosa." She tried to keep her voice as smooth as possible, but even to her her own voice sounded clipped and tight.

Exdeath picked up on it. "You sound afraid, dear Ultimecia."

"I'm not afraid of him! YOU have good reason to be afraid. He's on his way to destroy ALL of us. Not just me, I can assure you of that."

"Can you? I shall remain here. You can deal with your own misgivings. Do you not remember? YOU gave him her weapon, claiming to have accomplished your task. His rage towards you has no effect on Kefka, or myself. He is your responsibility." He looked over and caught the look of sheer horror on Ultimecia's face before she quickly wiped it away.

She wouldn't let him know how unwilling she was to face the Emperor. It wasn't that she was SCARED, no, she just. . . just. . .

She huffed, stamping her foot defiantly. She knew she couldn't run forever, so facing him with another would be beneficial. She could have scape goats. THEY let Golbez escape with Rosa after all. Suddenly she heard a voice distantly carry to them over the Rift "You cannot run from me, Ultimecia!"

She left the Rift and went to Kefka's tower next. The clown was setting the Magitek pipes around the room on fire so they would explode on the next unfortunate soul that bumped into them.

"Oh, hello, deary," he said without turning around before she could even get a word in. "Running away? From a purple and yellow anger management issue?"

"I'm not _running_ -"

"Oh, reaaalllyyy? Well what do you call AVOIDING him, especially when he has something 'VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY TO YOU?!'" he screamed in imitation of the Emperor's tones.

Well, Kefka wasn't going with her, either. Her only option was to go back to her castle and hopefully weather out the storm, act inconspicuous.

She sighed." _No honor amongst_ any _thieves._ "

"She went a-THAT way," Kefka said. Still, the Emperor put his staff to the clown's back. He froze, then shook his head laughing. "Ummm, didn't you HEAR me? She went-"

The Emperor planted a Thunder Crest under Kefka, and while he was caught twitching and writhing, the Emperor teleported away, taking Kefka with him.

She appeared in what was left of he castle, and almost slipped on some loose rubble. Bits of rock and pieces of broken gears littered the area, preventing her from even walking in some places. The whole bottom half of the bridge lay destroyed on the center platform, a tangle of shattered wood and twisted metal. Whole pieces of ledges were missing, blasted off or part of the littered rock. She went to one o the few unmarred parts of her castle, the little lip of edge around the bottom rim of the ledges, and waited for him to come.

Wouldn't be long.

He caught Kefka and Exdeath. She was the only one left.

And she tried to run! MAYBE he wouldn't be SO mad if she hadn't run-

He considered what he just thought. No, he probably still would've killed her either way.

He followed the sound of denial and went back to the castle he ruined not hours before.

He could sense her. She was here.

Stopping every now and again to investigate a sound, he carefully picked his way through the carnage. He peeked over a hole in the stone and finally found her standing on the ledge. When he teleported to her, she regarded him calmly, though he could clearly see he forced neutrality. It only succeeded in angering him further. He would have taken pleasure in her groveling, or apologizing, or even looking AFRAID. But the look in her eyes, the _challenge_ she presented him with. . .

" _She's_ daring _me to harm her. She probably has something planned if I do._ "

Still, the concept of revenge overwhelmed him, clouding his better judgement. He raised his hand to strike her, and she flinched. He smiled.

"Hello, Ultimecia."

She composed herself. "Hmph! Well I hope you have a good reason for _destroying_ my _castle!_ " she said, crossing her arms.

For a moment they just stared at each other. He set his jaw and continued with his own forced nonchallance, as if he didn't hear her. They were both _very_ good at this game. But he would win.

"Don't I even warrant a hello?"

Her silence made him more overjoyed than anyone could know. The inferno of anger popped, and the embers shifted from unbridled fury to instant euphoria.

Oh, how fun this would be!

"Excellent." He couldn't keep the sadistic smile from crawling up his cheeks. "That makes this a lot easier. . ." He put the sharp tip of his staff to her throat, but her gaze never left his.

"What do you want?" she asked, her tattooed eyebrow raising the slightest bit.

"Oh, I think you know why I'm TERRIBLY UPSET!" he yelled in her face. He pulled _her_ knife from his own belt and waved it in Ultimecia's face. "Remember THIS?! Remember the OWNER of THIS?!"

"The _girl_? _I_ thought she was dead."

The Emperor snapped.

With a growl of anger he slammed his staff on the ground, and the workings of a Dreary Cell appeared beneath Ultimecia.


	26. Chapter 26

When Ultimecia opened her eyes she was still braced for the pain from the Emperor's trap. But after a few seconds, none came. She chanced a glance around the room in front of her, and realized she was in the top floor of Pandaemonium. The Emperor's throne.

But no Emperor.

She tried to take a step forward, but a shock strong enough to bring down a Behemoth shot up her foot and through her whole body, fraying every nerve ending she had. If the shock wouldn't have scrambled her brain like a word search she would've surely screamed. Instead, she fell to a crouch, using a hand to steady herself on the floor. Breathing heavily, she regathered her wits, touching a clawed hand to her forehead. She shook her head slowly and looked around.

Then she noticed the trap.

She was standing in the center of an un-detonated Dreary Cell. The spikes kept her closed in, but only waist high. What truly kept her from leaving was the electrically charged orbs that floated above the spikes. They were what shocked her.

" _So he brought the trap with me! How resourceful_ ," she remarked sarcastically.

Where was _he_?

She turned around, careful not to touch the trap as she spun. Behind her, contained in similar traps stood Exdeath, calmly watching her, and Kefka, out cold.

"Hmph! 'Doesn't affect you or Kefka?' Isn't that what you said, Exdeath?"

"Mock me not, witch, for you too are the victim of his rage, much as you attempted to avoid it."

She turned back to her trap. "Unless I can break out of this." She called a large, sharp piece of ice to her hands to throw at the trap.

"Don't," Exdeath told her. "Resistance is futile. As our comedic friend discovered, attack of any manner, physical or magical, will increase the potency of the charges." He gestured to Kefka, unconscious on the floor.

She slowly diffused her attack with a sigh. "What of my time magic?"

If Exdeath could shrug, Ultimecia supposed he would have.

"Go on."

With a wave of her hand, she tried to freeze time on the area around the trap. She watched the air shimmer, and concentrated with all her might to seal the trap in a pocket of time. Electricity slowly stopped surging from orb to orb and for a moment she thought she succeeded.

Until she was met with another shock that tore through her, indeed stronger than the first, so much so that her ears rung and her sight went black. Her nerves were on fire, and she did cry out, if only for a moment. Even after the shock subsided, the pain didn't. She continued to squirm, still feeling the residual shocks.

A weak, but unmistakable laugh trickled out from behind her. "I'm gonna guess that didn't work."

"Silence, Kefka!" she yelled. Too bad that clown wasn't dead. She straightened up on shaky knees, and looked around for any other means of escape.

"There IS no escape," the Emperor's voice called to her. He appeared in front of the trio and paced, coldly, menacingly, trying to frighten them. "I've made sure that you do NOT escape me again."

Kefka tried to teleport out of his trap, but a loud buzzing and a whiny cry told Ultimecia that didn't work either.

The Emperor laughed, tossing his head back in sincere amusement. "You brought this upon yourselves! I gave you a task. . ." He teleported right in front of Kefka. ". . . one MEASLY, SIMPLE task-" He jabbed Kefka with the sharp point of his staff and pushed him backwards into the mines. Ultimecia watched his grotesquely cheery face contort into a real grimace of pain. When Kefka fell, the Emperor spoke again, ". . . and not only did you FAIL-"

He went to Exdeath next, and swung his staff like a club. Exdeath put up a block, but the Emperor's mines sensed the magic and exploded through the shield and shocked him. He fell to a knee, and the Emperor teleported to Ultimecia.

". . . but you LIED to me about it!"

He slapped Ultimecia with a resounding _smack!,_ so hard that tears stung her eyes. She managed to avoid the mines when she staggered, however, and the Emperor's temper flared behind his eyes. But he moved on, pacing again before Kefka.

"I suppose a PART of me isn't surprised. Why in the WORLDS would ANYONE put their trust in a group of IMBECILES, TRAITORS, FOOLS, and worthless SWINE like you?! It was THREE on ONE!"

Kefka saw the Emperor raise his staff again, and he smiled. He put up his fists. "Come on! Do it! Attack me! MAKE MY DAY!" he yelled straight into the Emperor's face. He jumped around in the limited area of the trap, rolling his fists. The Emperor could only stare in surprise at the clown's sudden masochistic display. "Come on, come on, step right up! Don't be shy! Have a chance to tussle with KEFKA PALAZZO! Place your bets here-"

The Emperor ended the charade quickly enough with a Thunder Crest. He held the spell until Kefka was on the floor howling in pain. "I wanted her GONE!" he yelled to Kefka. "I wanted her DEAD!"

Back to Exdeath, he reached into the trap and grabbed the man's curved knife. He ripped it from the sheath and stabbed it into the huge man's shoulder, with enough force to dent the armor around it. Exdeath roared, and the Emperor forced the blade in farther, yanking and twisting until the handle snapped. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kefka struggle to his knees, so he spun and hurled the handle at him as hard as he could, hitting Kefka in the head and knocking him back down.

"But you couldn't even manage THAT, COULD you?! She's still HERE! I DON'T _WANT_ HER HERE!-"

His blow meant to connect with Ultimecia's side, but as soon as she saw the strike come through the trap perimeter, she reached out and grabbed the staff, halting it. She jerked it forward, pulling the Emperor with it until they were face to face, separated only by the charges.

"Oh, for the love of CHAOS stop acting like an IMMATURE CHILD!" she yelled back at him. "She's still here, WHICH, might I add, has NO EFFECT on you OR your plans! You just don't want to be reminded of your FAILURE! Have you forgotten WHO it was that pulled her arrows from your CHEST? WHO kept her mouth SHUT ALL this time, so your PRECIOUS reputation wasn't DAMAGED?"

"Wait, wait, wait, WHAT?!" Kefka screamed. "THAT'S why he's so mad? Cuz he LOST to her?"

"Oh, that's not ALL, Kefka!" Ultimecia goaded. "Need I tell them MORE?" she asked, referring to the rejection she subjected him to. She raised an eyebrow. She knew he _still_ wouldn't sacrifice more of his reputation.

As if to confirm her thought, he retreated slightly, but before he could pull away she gripped the staff tighter.

"Don't forget, you need us FAR more than we need you. Do you WANT anybody to weaken Chaos and Cosmos FOR you, or should we leave that to you?"

He was silent, finally taking the time to calculate both her response and his. " _That's the scheming little Emperor we know."_

After a moment, the traps disappeared and she released the breath she didn't know she was holding. She drew herself to full height. "You do not RULE us, Emperor! We may come and go as we please. And you're LUCKY we haven't left yet. Especially after THIS little escapade. Now apologize."

"What?-"

"You ATTACKED us, brutally, for no reason. I want you to apologize."

The Emperor snorted. "I'm sor-"

"On your knees. An apology, AND a thank you for all the help we've given you."

"Don't push your luck-"

"OUR luck?" She raised an eyebrow. "Down. And make it sound sincere."

With a sneer he slowly dropped a knee. "I. am. sorry," he enunciated slowly.

"Good," Kefka yelled, "and after the thanks, we'll take chocolate flavored potions, an apology CAKE-preferably vanilla on vanilla, new face paints, oh, and we want that brought directly to our realms. And I want a chair so that I can lay down and you can feed me grapes while I-"

"Silence, Kefka!"

"Ah, ah, ah!" he said, shaking a finger at him. "Watch your tone, mister!"

He sighed. "Thank you, for your assistance. Thank you deeply," he said through his teeth.

Ultimecia smiled and crossed her arms. "This is't over," she warned him before disappearing.

She WOULD get him back.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: So as a result of making Rosa's fight with the Emperor the larger focus of Part II, I had to speed up Rosa's memory a bit. That is this chapter! Thanks so much for reading, everyone!**

* * *

"Hush, Rosa! It's alright. You're alright, Rose." She hugged Cecil tighter and he did the same. "Tell me what happened."

"I- I don't know! Kain was upset when I asked him about my memory of our journey together-"

"You actually asked him about that?" Cecil said incredulously.

"Well of course! You wouldn't tell me! What else was I supposed to do?" A hot tear trickled down her face then conformed quickly to the track left by the ones before it. "He was cross. He was yelling at me. It triggered something else. I got a memory of being tied up. Golbez was trying to trick you, and use me to get the crystals from you. But Kain was the one to suggest it. And he said that- that HE wanted to be the one to strike you down. He betrayed us, Cecil! Betrayed me! I . . . he wanted you dead! He wanted me for himself!"

She hugged him again and rested her head on his chest, crying silently. She'd never FELT so betrayed in her life. Cecil wrapped his hand around her and rested it on the back of her head to stroke her hair. They stood like that for a while until Cecil pulled away and grabbed her shoulders, squaring her to him. ". . . That's not ex- _act-_ ly how it happened, Rosa, if this'll make you feel better."

"What? Then what did happen?" she asked. She was pretty sure she had a clear opinion of Kain, but if there was something to prove her wrong, well, her interest was piqued. Cecil met her even gaze, then looked away again. "Cecil," she said, cupping his chin and turning his eyes to hers, "tell me what happened."

"I don't . . . I shouldn't . . . Kain is our friend. I don't want to . . . You'll think poorly of him, and I won't put him in a bad light. I shouldn't have said anything. Because he's not a bad person, Rose, he's truly not. . ."

' _Figures I would need Cecil to preserve my image_ ,' she heard Kain say. She banished the thought, her anger at Kain and curiosity resurfacing and besting her. She closed her eyes. "Tell me. I will not let you take advantage of my memory-"

"Rosa! That's not-"

"Plus," she interjected, "it's one of the last BIG pieces that is still missing. I think it may be the key I need." Which was true, but curiosity was still what spurred her to pry.

He sighed. "Very well."

Cecil grabbed her hand and led her further from the others than their already distant position. He motioned for her to sit, and he crouched next to her.  
"Rosa, when the King sent Kain and me to Mist Village with the bomb ring, we had no idea of the cargo we were carrying, or what to expect. We ventured deep into the Mist cave- you remember where the Mist cave was, yes?- and right as we emerged on the other side to the village, a dragon appeared, an Eidolon. You remember that?"

"Yes," she said. "You and Kain fought and killed the dragon, then proceeded to Mist."

"Yes," Cecil confirmed. "The ring went off, destroying EVERYTHING in the bombs' paths. I . . . didn't even know what was happening at the time. Bombs were throwing themselves everywhere, circling around us, exploding, recircling. . . You couldn't even see through all the smoke. Kain and I blindly made our way through the village, and in the middle of the carnage I saw a green-haired girl cowering over her mother's body."

"Rydia."

"Right. She realized that by killing her mother's Mist Dragon we had killed her mother. She was distraught, as any child would be, and she summoned an Eidolon of her own, Titan. He split the village right in half, creating a fault so deep in the earth that whole houses fell right in. Kain and I got separated- me with the girl, and him by himself. I suppose it was when he was by himself that Golbez struck. He used his telepathic powers against Kain, latching on to every negative feeling Kain had. He took root in Kain's mind, his influence growing until Kain was no longer himself."

"He took Kain over?" she asked.

"I know. A bit far-fetched?"

"N-no, it actually makes sense," she said. "That explains why he's so carefully nice around me. Besides, I got swept to an alternate dimension to fight in a war between two higher beings, and had my memory wiped in the process. How far-fetched could ANYTHING else really be?"

"That's true, I suppose. Anyway, once I returned home I picked you up and we went to Fabul to warn them of Golbez's plan to steal and use the crystals-"

"After curing me of desert fever," she said.

"Yes. But while we were there, Golbez arrived, with Kain. He attacked, defeating me, and stole the crystal. But not before your voice made him hesitate."

"So that's when Golbez kidnapped me."

"Indeed. He took you to the tower of Zot, and any memory you have of him there-in is when he was still in Golbez's control."

"I see." The pieces fit, and she felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. But this Golbez was the same warrior that SAVED her. She was within an inch of her life and he ensured her safety? Somehow, the Golbez in her memory didn't seem real. What changed in him, she wondered.

So she couldn't blame Kain for being cross with her when she asked. But still, what he said in her memory . . . ' _You'll see soon enough that I am superior to your_ Cecil.'

So much malice. Why did he WANT to be superior to Cecil? Her heart shifted in her chest, and she knew the answer deep down, she could feel it. But it was JUST under some sort of trap door, like she needed another memory to be the proper key.

" _Does everybody feel like this?_ " she wondered to herself. " _Do the last memories that need to trickle in frustrate the others like this, too_?"

"You're not speaking. You aren't still mad at Kain, are you?"

"No. No, I'm not mad at Kain. I'm just frustrated. It feels like there's ONE more thing I'm missing that will just solve everything, and fill all the holes. The emotions, the smaller details, the memories themselves . . . something needs to connect the dots. All of them are there, I just . . . "

"Maybe I can help," he said. She shook her head.

"I'm not sure."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Rosa, I do know what you're missing. Golbez was able to take over Kain because he was jealous of the two of us.

Her first thought was 'ridiculous.' What could he have to be jealous of? Then, immediate panic washed over her, followed by a strong tugging at her heart. "Excuse me?"

"Kain loved you, Rose, but you and I . . . "

' _You and I_.' Another tug.

"What are you talking about?" Was he making this up? Adding some sort of false detail to instill false feelings in her? If that's what he was doing it was working-

"Rosa, you and I are married." The tugging turned into a painful pressure, almost laboring her breathing. With each thing Cecil said, her heart felt ready to burst.

"Cecil, stop!"

"We were married before being called to the war!"

"I don't remember ANY of that!" She shouldn't be this upset, but his words stirred something in her heart and she had to fight to keep it under control. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't move. The world started to spin around her. Like an excited chocobo trying to escape and run free. The sudden surge of feeling that she had the moment he uttered those words scared her.

What REALLY upset her was that she KNEW. She KNEW that he was telling the truth with every part of her. But her memory, always her memory. . . She just couldn't accept it. Her only memories of Cecil were of his friendship.

"I've been wanting to tell you from the moment I saw you here. But you were so guarded that I didn't want to offend you."

"Cecil, please, I-" Her knees felt weak. She stood up and moved away from him, head beginning to pound. Rosa pressed a hand to her temples, making her unsteady way over to the others.

"You're lying," she said; something, _anything_ to release what she was feeling.

"No, Rosa! I'm not! Please, you MUST believe me!" Some of the other warriors began to stare, but Rosa was too distraught to care.

Cecil ran over to her and grabbed her hand. "Your ring!"

"Let go of me!" she cried, just as she did when the Emperor held onto her hand.

"No, wait! Your ring! Diamond and rubies, alternated around a larger diamond?"

"You already know what the ring looks like!" she said. Another tug at her hears, so strong that she gasped. She felt dizzy. Cecil pulling at her hand was the only thing keeping her upright. "Y-you've had PLENTY of opportunities to look at it!"

"Rosa, I _bought_ it for you! We were wed the same day as our coronation! Rose, I LOVE you!-"

Tug. "Cecil, we WEREN'T-"

Everything happened at once.

She was instantly transported to Baron, in her childhood.

 _She heard the clanking of two weapons and the shouts of battle even from the castle's dining hall. She gathered up her 'mage-in-training' skirts and quickly ran to the sound of the scuffle._

"Wonder who it is today," _she thought idly. Occasionally, when two knights had a disagreement, they liked to settle it "Ye olde fashioned way", as His Majesty put it.  
_  
 _But when she turned the corner, it wasn't two men clad in armor she saw fighting. Instead, it was two boys her own age, one with hair a bright blonde, and the other with soft, silver hair. She recognized the silver-haired boy. He was the king's ward; orphaned as a baby.  
_  
 _"Hey! What's going on here? That's enough!" she said, running into the middle of their fight. The blonde immediately relented, lowering the too-long, too-heavy spear he held in his hands. She turned to the silver-haired boy, looking into his royal blue irises.  
_  
 _For a second both faltered; her angry gaze softened, and pleasant surprise froze him up. They both just stood, lost in each other's gazes.  
_  
 _If love at first sight was possible, young Rosa knew that was what this was._

* * *

 _"It's alright, Rosa," Cecil said, wrapping his warm, secure arms around her shoulders.  
_  
 _She only sobbed harder. Cecil gently wiped a tear from her cheek.  
_  
 _"Your father was a brave, brave man. He fought with courage for his country and shall be held in the highest honor. He died fighting for you, and for Baron, and for that he is a hero."  
_  
 _She laid her head against his chest, and he held her and stroked her hair, and rocked her, and comforted her, and stayed awake with her for the rest of the night, wiping her tears and consoling her until she fell asleep next to him, and woke up with his arm still around her._

* * *

 _He had rescued her, and he was alright! She pushed through everyone in the tower of Zot, Cid, the newly revived Kain, Edge, straight to him.  
_  
 _"Cecil!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. He staggered with the force that she hit him with, but then closed his eyes and put his arm around her too.  
_  
 _They shared a long kiss, then finally pulled away just to look into each other's faces again._

 _They had done it. They had saved the planet._

"It almost doesn't seem possible _," Rosa thought as she pulled on her white gloves._

 _When she was ready she slowly descended the stairs from her room to the throne room, pulling her dress up higher than normal to keep the white silk and tool from dragging on the stone floor.  
_  
 _It also didn't seem possible that she was marrying the love of her life. He looked as radiant as she felt; his Paladin armor freshly shined and polished, his long, silver hair left to fall freely around his face; ceremonial white sword at his hip.  
_  
 _He turned upon her arrival and his jaw fell open. They crossed the room to each other.  
_  
 _". . . The most beautiful thing I've ever seen. . ." he mumbled, soft eyes still taking in the sight before him. She could see in his face he was searching for words, but he gave up and kissed her instead._

 _Their hands were joined throughout the entire ceremony. Even as they read their vows, said their "I do's". They only came apart when Cecil presented her ring. He slipped the diamonds and rubies over her white gloves, the vibrant red a brilliant contrast to the white.  
_  
 _"It's beautiful," she told him. "It must've cost a fortune."  
_  
 _"My rose, on this day you deserve every luxury."_

* * *

 _"Cecil Harvey, Rosa Joanna Farrell," the minister announced, "I now pronounce you man and wife from this day forth. You may kiss your bride."  
_  
 _Without hesitation he pulled her in and their lips connected. She slid her arms around him and caressed his back, and his fingers tangled in her hair, slightly messing up her hair-do, but she didn't care. She just wanted to freeze time, make this moment last forever, stay wrapped around each other always. She heard clapping, but it was miles away, some distant humming drowned out by the roar of the moment. After a well-drawn out time they pulled apart and she giggled, rubbing a bit of her lipstick smudged on his lips. They turned to face the crowd of their friends, and Cecil raised her hand in his, both smiling a bit sheepishly.  
_  
 _They turned back as a member of the Red Wings brought forth a pillow with two crowns on it.  
_  
 _"Kneel," he commanded. They both knelt in unison, heads bent, but one hand still clasped in the other's.  
_  
 _"Cecil Harvey, do you swear, as King of Baron, to protect the balance of peace we now have across this vast land?"  
_  
 _"I swear."  
_  
 _"Do you swear to always rule on the principles of justice, courage, fairness, equality, patience, and prosperity?"  
_  
 _"I swear."  
_  
 _"Do you swear to your people that you will do all within your power to ensure tranquility, stability, and safety, for their families and businesses?"  
_  
 _"I swear."  
_  
 _"And finally, do you swear to the line of kings past that yours will be a rule of greatness and honor, grace and dignity, one that can be looked back on with pride by future kings?"  
_  
 _"I swear."  
_  
 _"Rosa Joanna Farrell, do you agree to all terms spoken above?"  
_  
 _"Yes."  
_  
 _"Do you swear that if your husband cannot uphold these principles, then you will take up his charge and fulfill them to the best of your ability as Queen of Baron?"  
_  
 _"I swear."  
_  
 _The man took Cecil's crown from the pillow.  
_  
 _"Then I crown you King Cecil Harvey, first of the Harvey line, sole sovereign of this land and Baron," he placed the crown atop Cecil's silver hair, then moved in front of Rosa.  
_  
 _". . . and you Queen Rosa Joanna Farrell. Rise, Your Majesties."  
_  
 _The two of them rose and turned, and at once the crowd knelt.  
_  
 _"Arise," Cecil told them, and the crowd rose with thunderous applause. He took Rosa's arm and led her out of the throne room for the parade that awaited them outside. He kissed her hand, then each cheek before her lips and pulling them along.  
_  
 _She couldn't have been happier-_

* * *

Rosa's hand slipped from Cecil's and she fell backwards into Sanctuary's water. She blinked away the other miscellaneous images that slid across her vision and looked around as though remembering where she was. For the first time since being called, she felt whole. Fully complete. All of her memories had finally returned.

"C-Cecil!" she gasped happily. He lowered his hand to her, still more than a little concerned that she was still upset. But she grabbed his hand and hauled herself to her feet, throwing her arms around him.

"Cecil, I'm so sorry!" she said. Her voice cracked and she realized she was crying. "I remember now! I _remember_!"

"Y-you remember?" he said, almost as though in disbelief. Then, understanding dawned on him, and his lips stretched into that beautiful, perfect smile she'd all but forgotten. "You remember!"

She stared into his eyes, and a surge of emotion came over her. Her heart jumped with feeling for Cecil; love, joy, compassion. She nodded excitedly, and he scooped her up into his arms, spinning her around with a laugh of delight.

"She remembers!" he yelled to the other. She cupped his chin and turned his face to her.

"I love you," she whispered.

He sighed as though relieved. "You've not the slightest idea how long I've been waiting to hear that."

They both leaned in and kissed, and she _knew_ she was complete. Just being there she felt more secure than ever.

The two of them pulled away with whoops and claps and shouts from the others. She laughed, her cheeks coloring slightly from shy embarassment.

"Congratulations!" Tidus yelled, his arm around Yuna.

"I'm happy for you two," Firion said, nodding to them.

Warrior just looked troubled. She followed his gaze past them, but there was nothing there to catch her attention. She shrugged away the instinctual unease and stayed to enjoy her time with Cecil.


	28. Chapter 28

Despite the danger he would be putting himself in, despite Ultimecia's smugness should she find out, and despite every ounce of his pride screaming and pleading with him, he went anyway.

He went to see Rosa.

Just one more time, he told himself. Then he could be done with it. Done with her.

So he made the trip to Order's Sanctuary. But he hovered just out of reach, staying halfway between physically entering the place and teleporting away.

Ah! And he came at the right time, too. Cecil was trying to plead with her about something, but she was having none of it. He wanted to be closer to her, to see her face and hear her voice and feel her aura of energy and strength just once more. He silently edged closer and closer, circling around the arguing warriors until he could see her emerald eyes.

As soon as his eyes one-sidedly connected to hers, however, he felt a pang of embarrassment and remorse. He shouldn't have come. It was only making him remember how she humiliated him, how he regretted not keeping her. Her very air and confidence with which she carried herself and flaunted her magic. . . He could've had both gods hoodwinked by now with her help. He could've conquered this whole cycle by now. They would've had gods and warriors alike BEGGING for mercy. She shined of goodness and light and peace and virtue, but that wasn't something the Emperor couldn't have fixed.

He stared at her, suddenly glad she couldn't see him. She already saw him deeply humiliated once, first hand, and he was not about to let her see it again any time soon-

"Cecil, stop!"

Just then he noticed the pain and confusion on her beautiful face.

" _Cecil would dare try to harm her_?" he inquired in surprise. Cecil wasn't the kind of man to verbally attack _anyone_ , let alone a woman. Let alone a woman like her. She could crush him like a bug. So why did she not?

"We were married before being called to the war!"

"I don't remember ANY of that!"

What. Did he. Just. Say?

"I wanted to tell you from the moment I saw you here! But you were so guarded that I didn't want to offend you!"

Cecil. Harvey. Was her champion?! _He_ was the one that held the prize?

HE. Was. Her. HUSBAND?!

" _No, it couldn't be! She's denying it! She doesn't remember him! So it couldn't be true_!"

"Cecil, please, I-. . . You're lying." She started to turn towards the others, wincing, as though what he was saying physically pained her. Her denial made him smile. At least if HE couldn't have her, no one could. Not even Cecil.

"No, Rosa, I'm not! Please, you MUST believe me!"

She didn't answer, just kept walking, and Cecil surged forward and grabbed her hand. "Your ring!"

"Let go of me!"

"No, wait! Your ring!"

The Emperor's blood ran cold. The ring. . . the WEDDING RING?! OF COURSE! He described it in his mind as he remembered it while Cecil said it aloud to her.

"Diamonds and rubies. . . "

" _. . . alternated around a larger diamond_."

"You already know what the ring looks like!" she protested. "Y-you've had _plenty_ of opportunities to take a good look at it!"

"Rosa, I LOVE you-"

"Cecil, we WEREN'T-"

She cut off and her eyes immediately glassed over. He realized that she was remembering things, probably the wedding. And Cecil STILL had her hand!

He wanted to jump in and rip Cecil's hand from his wrist. But he stayed in the shadow, although he was certain that his rage was perfectly visible and screaming at everyone by now.

She slipped, her hand slid from his, and she fell back in the water.

Rosa pulled herself up and threw her arms around him.

The Emperor turned away. He could see no more.

He looked to the others that also had the misfortune of witnessing what he saw. The Warrior of Light, who was staring right at him as if he could actually see him, Firion, Tidus and Yuna, Cosmos herself. . .

Cosmos. Cosmos herself.

Yes. A plan hatched and he smiled coldly.

Revenge on them BOTH, AND Cosmos' destruction?

Oh, he just couldn't resist.

He went straight back to his throne to mull it over.

" _Yes. Cecil_ and _Rosa, wrapped around my fingers, and Cosmos, she'd be so unsuspecting. . ._ " He crossed his legs and rested his chin on his fist. Why, if he never formed another plan. . . This was the mother of all plans! Easy resources, easy application, a little bit of luck- well, sure, a lot of luck. He needed much to go well, and was very dependent on others, but even with one or two misfortunes he could pull it off himself, if need arose.

But, my, was this a PLAN! Just wait until he told Ultimecia. She'd be jealous that _she_ hadn't thought of a plan like this. And why not get started? He couldn't wait to see how all of this panned out. Even the gods wouldn't see this coming. Not even Shinryu would be able to anticipate all the complex, inner workings conspiring against the cycle until HE was at the peak.

First things were first. "Where did those idiots take Golbez?"


	29. Chapter 29

Warrior stared at the exact spot until he was sure the presence was completely gone.

"Did you sense that?" he asked Cosmos without turning his gaze. He felt her nod beside him.

"Yes. But whoever it was did not attack. I wonder why that is?"

Warrior frowned. Normally, _no_ fiend of Chaos stepped within a mile radius of Sanctuary. "Not only did they come IN," Warrior finished aloud, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword, "but they neglected to attack. We were completely unprepared. It would have been a slaughter." Two people in particular were definitely not paying attention. "Lightning! Cecil! Rosa!" he called to them.

Light wandered over to stand in front of Warrior. Cecil and Rosa didn't hear him, too involved with each other. He cleared his throat. "Cecil! Rosa! I want you three to do a fifty foot perimeter sweep around Sanctuary."

Cecil glared uncharacteristically. "But we just got back from patrol," he said. He put his arm protectively around Rosa's waist, subconsciously pulling her closer.

Warrior wanted to recoil under the power of Cecil's gaze, too shocked to speak. The others in the area looked just as shocked as he felt. Cecil _never_ complained, or skipped out of work. He was the kind of man to take _others_ ' jobs on top of his own to help. Warrior's eyes traveled down to Cecil's arm, still around Rosa, then flicked back and forth from his face to hers. "You will patrol with Lightning, Cecil. I have reason to believe that Chaos' forces are-"

Cecil sighed heavily.

"Is there a problem?"

"Can't you send someone else? I JUST got my wife back!"

Warrior was about to protest, but Zidane stretched out and flicked his tail across his nose. "Oh, come on, man! Don't be such a stiff! They both just found true love! The light has returned to their eyes, the smile to their faces!" He jumped up and stood on Cosmos' throne next to her. He cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention. "' _Love is like coffee. It excites and warms us up, until we are whole._ '" He recited the original haiku, tracing a heart in the air with his fingers and placing his hands over his heart on the last line. "Come on, Warrior! How can you deny _l'amour_?" he asked, clasping his hands by his chin and batting his eyelashes at Warrior. He made a kissing face before being pushed down by Tidus.

"Geez, Zidane, your theater boy is showing! Yeah, let me n' Yuna go. Give them some time together!"

Warrior's eye twitched, the only outward sign of his annoyance, and turned back to Cosmos. "Cosmos? What say you?"

"It is your decision," she said. He wasn't trying to be strict. But his first duty was to Cosmos. As theirs should be. He nodded.

"Cecil and Rosa will go. We need to remember that this is a war. Any mistakes or lax attitudes will threaten the safety of Cosmos and this world."

"We KNOW that," Cecil said flatly. "You can count on us."

 *** * *  
**  
"Rosa, scout ahead. Cecil, take left flank. I'll go cover the right flank and double back in case anyone's following us." Lightning flipped her sword to a gun and ran back, rounding around the path they came.

Rosa notched an arrow and ran ahead, but she found it difficult to concentrate on her surroundings. Her mind kept wandering to Cecil.

How could she have forgotten something and someone like that? Especially when she felt it from the start? It amazed her how much love for him was bottled up and hidden away. That all it needed was to just be dug up!

Now she couldn't stop thinking about him.

Every time they looked at each other she could feel the sparks, like they were two children again-

"Hell-O?! Rosa! Report!" Light called.

She shook her head and did a quick sweep of the area around her. "A-all clear!" she yelled back. Maybe this _was_ a bad idea.

"Alright! Form up! I'll take point again before someone else decides to negate the need to PAY ATTENTION!"

They regathered and continued on, with Light in front, Rosa and Cecil together bringing up the rear. Side by side.

"Do you really think we'll run into anyone? Whoever stopped by Sanctuary is probably long gone," Cecil said. Without looking back, Light let out a harsh, "Shh!"

Rosa sighed. She could practically hear Lightning's teeth gnashing together as she strained to listen for any signs of pursuit. Cecil and Rosa hadn't been paying very close attention during the whole patrol, much to Light's chagrin. It was only a matter of time before her patience ran out.

Cecil mistook her sigh as discontent. He grabbed her hand while they walked, swinging it with each step as though they were on a leisurely stroll. She let him, taking in the warmth of his touch. "Don't worry, Rose. We're almost done here. We'll be back to Sanctuary in no time."

She looked up into his royal blue eyes, eyes she remembered so plainly now as though she had never forgotten.

"What?" he asked after a few moments, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Nothing." She leaned into him, and he walked with his arm around her shoulder. "Just. . . happy I remember you now. I honestly haven't a clue about how nothing came back to me instantly, from the moment I saw you. EVer since my first day here you've been my support, my friend, and I didn't see it. I feel as though I knew the whole time, but my memory wasn't allowing me to accept it."

"Would you two _shut it_?" Lightning yelled back to them.

Breaking her gaze from Cecil, she looked down and toyed with the gold band around her ring finger. "But once I remembered . . . it was as though an entire hole in my heart was filled. I remembered how much I loved you."

He smiled down at her. "How much is that?"

"A lot." She stood on her toes and pecked him on the cheek.

He stopped. "Well it better be more than that." He leaned down and kissed her quickly on the lips.

"A little more than that, even." She linked her arms around his neck and leaned in.

Lightning came barreling back, gunblade raised like she was about to fend off an ambush.

"Tch! Well if you two're done stomping around like Behemoths, do you think you could be quiet for FIVE MINUTES? I'm TRYING to scout ahead, but anyone would know I'm coming for miles if you two keep up your little love fest!"

Without waiting for their reply, she ran ahead again.

"Well, my dear, I think this is the last time Lightning goes _anywhere_ with the two of us. Let's go." He kissed her on the lips, long and tenderly. "That's one for now," he said, pulling away. Then he tilted her head up and kissed her forehead. "And one to keep for later."

"Do you two wanna DIE?! Come ON! I'm NOT gonna SIT here all DAY!"


	30. Chapter 30

As it turned out, they took Golbez to Ultimecia's castle.

Ever since Kefka, Ultimecia, and Exdeath chased him down for helping Rosa, they had him tortured and Purified three times in the last three cycles. They just kept informing him of the rules and duties of the wars, then when he committed some nonexistent act of treason they killed him again, only to repeat when he was revived.

" _Hmph! Idiots. If only they put this_ _much effort into_ my _plans_!" the Emperor thought as he approached Ultimecia's castle for the third time that cycle. Apparently, it had a feature where time would warp, and all damage would be repaired. He wasn't surprised when he arrived to find the place completely in-tact as though he was never there in the first place.

Kefka's hyena laugh was the first thing the Emperor heard upon teleporting in. He looked quickly for a suitable place to listen in, settling for the deep, shadowy cover of the middle level.

". . . NEVER this fun before!" Kefka cried. He clapped Golbez on the back, smacking his hand on the armor with a _plunk!_

 __"Before?" Golbez asked. His flat tone sounded less than pleased to be with the clown. Ultimecia spoke instead.

"Of course! Do you not remember? Allow us to enlighten you."

Kefka began giggling like a maniac until a sharp elbow from Ultimecia cut him off to silenced snorts. She continued, "We are _fierce_ warriors of Chaos, are we not? Scourge of the light and those attached to Cosmos."

"Those IDIOTS!" Kefka growled.

Ultimecia shot him a glare, but went on, "In fact, your very brother resides with those who cling to a fallacious goddess and lost hopes. You even thought it best to aid him! But it was he who subdued you! He betrayed you, and made you return to the cycle and start all over again. No memories at all." She inspected the claws of her gauntlet. "Like a snake, lying in wait for the gentle mouse before it strikes."

"Oh, the IRONY!" shrieked Kefka. "Doesn't it just make you wanna KILL Moogles?!"

"No."

"Oh! Well don't worry, we feel the same way- wait, what?" Kefka's smile dropped instantly. The armored man turned towards him.

"No. It does not anger me. I do not even remember who he is. You say my duty is to Chaos. You say my only task here is to eliminate the other side of this conflict. It is the same for them, I must assume. He probably had a duty, just as we do. If I was unprepared to defend myself, it is my own folly."

Ultimecia and Exdeath shared a glance. He wasn't catching Kefka's implications. The clown rolled his eyes with a deep sigh, jumping into the air and laying there, staring at Golbez.

"Huh. Ok, look. Whose side are you on?"

"Chaos'."

"Good! And _who_ is Chaos, again?"

"The god of destruction and discord-"

"Ding ding ding ding! That is correct! Ultimecia, show the man his prize!"

She clicked her tongue at Kefka's performance. "Your _prize_ ," she intoned flatly," is retribution. Give Cecil the reckoning he deserves. It's not enough to simply titter along in this cycle and hope that by beating the other side we will win, no. No, the ultimate reward is the satisfaction derived from CRUSHING the other side, especially your nemesis. Revenge, sir," she said bluntly.

"I care not for that. I do not want to pursue him. Why would _you_ be this desperate on my behalf?"

" _Hmph! Just as he was before,_ " thought the Emperor with a sneer. " _Their punishments have taught him nothing_."

"Better yet, why are you helping me, telling me all this?" asked Golbez. "What have you to gain?"

Ultimecia replied urgently, "This _cycle_ is reason enough! He's made you weak! Reduced you to _nothing_! He _defeated_ you! It is only justified that you strike back!"

"And we know where to hit 'em where it HURTS!" growled Kefka.

Golbez turned to Kefka. "You do?" He was unamused, but they took it as in invitation. He was probably half horrified, half intrigued.

Exdeath, who had been silent during the whole exchange, spoke up, "You should know that Chaos mercilessly destroys those who disobey his will."

"Mercilessly," ensured Ultimecia, picking up on the tactic-switch with ease. "And his will is to destroy the followers of Cosmos. Essentially, it's Cecil or you. We couldn't _stand_ to see that happen to a comrade, if you were to reject his wishes. We're just starting you off in the right direction! How better to please Chaos then to fight in the cycle, and force the destruction of one of Cosmos' numbers, your very nemesis? Your most hated rival! You wouldn't want to displease Chaos, would you?" Pause. "There's nothing in it for us!" she assured innocently. "We'd hate to see Chaos angry at you, is all. We just want to help a comrade."

She crossed her arms, yellow eyes boring into the slit of his helmet as though daring him to oppose her. After a moment, Golbez turned away.

How very clever. Not only would planting the fresh seeds of hate for Cosmos and Cecil delay him from another change of heart, but it would also lead him to trust them as allies, even if he didn't believe them as friends. He was in no position to _dis-_ trust anything they tell him, with no memories.

Nor was the Emperor in any position to stop them. They were goading him against Cosmos, and, ultimately, striking within him a fear of Chaos. Until he committed another false act of treason against Chaos and they killed him again.

Everything had to stay according to plan.

"You can come out, now!" Ultimecia called, wrinkling her nose and looking up to stare in the exact spot where the Emperor was hiding.

"Oooh, a GUEST! Where is he?! I'll STOMP him!"

The Emperor stepped out from under the shadow of the overhang above. "Silence, Kefka!" he shouted to him, glaring down at them from his perch.

Exdeath's grip on his sword relaxed. "Oho! It is merely our friend hell-bent on world domination."

"You speak as though to mock me, Exdeath. I would certainly hope not," he warned threateningly. "Besides, YOU seem just as hell-bent as I, what with your Void obsession."  
Exdeath brushed off the threat and comment. "The Void dominates all. Not even you may have control over it. The abyss will eventually consume all you hope to rule. In this world, it is only a matter of time."

Finding no crushing retort, he turned to Golbez. "I wish to speak to you."

"Well, too bad!" Kefak yelled. "Get your OWN huge guy! Come on, Golby! Do try to be late to the next meeting, Emperor. I'm in the mood for another smack down, CHAOS style!"

With a growl of annoyance the Emperor hurled a blue Flare at Kefka. The clown flipped up into the air with a whoop of delight and disappeared, the Flare exploding behind him.  
Ultimecia lifted a thin, painted eyebrow at him, then shook out her crow wings and disappeared with Exdeath in tow.

Golbez cast one last backwards glance at the Emperor before leaving as well. No matter. Their chafes meant nothing to him. By forming their own schemes, they were continuing to help him.

All he had to do was wait.


	31. Chapter 31

Ultimecia was REALLY beginning to hate the Emperor.

No, wait, scratch that. She ALWAYS hated him. He was just making it worse for himself.

"It's far too complicated to work!" she spat at him. "There are too many things that could go wrong. You're too reliant on chance."

The Emperor tried to intimidate her with a glare, but she scowled right back. He smirked. "Hmph! My plans are fool-proof-"

"So you say! Simple plans have a lesser chance of going awry. This is not a simple plan, you gutless _swine_! They could not take the bait. What if you underestimated Cosmos' power? They could see through me. That Warrior can sense Cosmos better than Kuja can sense old trends. You really think he wouldn't know his own goddess' presence? They're not simple, Emperor!"

He had no reply, so she continued. "And if I know Golbez, which I do, he's not the kind to get ensnared in schemes, Purified or otherwise! Don't forget, it's MY head they'll have if this goes wrong, which it will! How can you honestly expect me to help?"

He _had_ to have a fail-safe. He was far too good of a schemer to attempt such a high-risk plan without a back-up of some sort.

"Then why comply?" he asked her. "If I recall, the Cloud of Darkness can accomplish the same basic trick. I can remove you and have her do it. Either way, as soon as it is done, we are half-way to victory. WHO does it is of no consequence."

"You mean we'll be half-way to HALF-WAY to victory!" She snorted, and added, "Hah! And I'm glad you remembered to say 'we' instead of 'I'."

He narrowed his eyes at her and she crossed her arms. She always knew right from the beginning that he planned to eliminate her. But, she was also smart enough to know that she needed him and his schemes. For the majority, anyway.

Her, Kefka, and Exdeath had worked behind the scenes for him, taking down Cosmos' and Chaos' warriors. Unfortunately, between Cosmos and Rosa's white magic, they _maybe_ managed no more than one or two measly Cosmos warriors per cycle (and even that was questionable). All they were doing was strengthening Cosmos with cyclic victories by neglecting her warriors, while Chaos _slowly,_ ever so slowly waned. She planned to continue that until the Emperor could tell that Chaos was weak and felt bold enough to strike. She was just going to wait for the outcome, and either face Chaos or him, whomever was the victor.

If all went according to the plan he just introduced, Cosmos' _entire_ side would be demolished. Her only obstacle to her Time Compression would be Chaos.

The Emperor was such a fool. He failed to realize that he had no way of protecting himself from fading if he destroyed Chaos. Right before their failure in the 13th cycle, he tried to manifest his so-called "crystals of darkness" using Jecht's conflicting power to escape his demise. He still suffered defeat. Not only has he forgotten his need of some form of power to escape the cycle, but he also forgot the fact that they didn't work.

A quick flash of a thought strobed in Ultimecia's mind. " _What if his own power is power enough? If he alone could defeat Chaos. . ._ "

Impossible. Shinryu would never allow it.

Technically, she shouldn't have been able to remember past cycles either. Before she entered her final battle with Squall in the 13th, however, she froze time on her state of being. When Purification came, and she awoke, she retained all of her memories and knowledge.

She had a loop-hole. He did not.

" _I suppose if I have a way around the cycle, there's no reason for me to not scheme with him. Even if I fall, I'll be revived with everything I left with. Besides, it_ would _still help me, wouldn't it?_ "

She sighed, and dropped her arms. "Listen, and listen well, Emperor. I'm still awaiting payment for your last little discrepancy. If this works, fat chance, I will consider your debt repaid. However, if they discover me, or see through me, and I am attacked by _seventeen people_ , I will return and strike such a vengeance on you, you'll not be ABLE to return to the cycle! I will destroy you so completely, Shinryu won't be able to collect enough of your pieces to bring you back. Do you understand?"

After staring at her for another second, he waved his hand dismissively. "Idle threats will not frighten me, witch. Go. I will begin preparing the other parts of my plan."

"This had better work. For _your_ sake."

Who knew. Maybe Chaos would find out first that the _Emperor_ was trying to weaken him to take over, and kill the Emperor first.

The Emperor found Golbez staring into the sky at the Lunar Subterraine. Golbez didn't turn upon his arrival.

"Come to have that 'discussion' now?"

The Emperor nodded slowly; the beads and garnishes in his hair clinked softly together at the motion. "Indeed. This is a business proposition. You possess the ability to obtain control of one's mind, do you not?" The Emperor remembered as much about Golbez from when he had all of his memories. Past 'Tell of your Evils' sessions that sometimes occurred among the warriors gave the Emperor that knowledge. Otherwise, the man _never_ spoke of himself.

Golbez paused. ". . . I do not like where this is going-" he eventually began.

"Do not waste my time. Can you, or can you not?"

Golbez sighed deeply. " _I_ remember Zeromus' own control over _me_. He used _me_ to control _another_. It was only through Zeromus that I could."

"Could you now, if you tried?"

". . . I know not." Golbez straightened up and stared down at the Emperor. "Why do you ask? What is it you are planning?"

"I am plotting the annihilation of Cosmos' entire side. I believe they may need some. . . prompting. . . to accomplish what it is I have in mind."

"'Prompting'? Hm. I think _I_ may need further prompting to assist you."

"So you do not deny that it can be done?"

Golbez paused again, and the Emperor imagined he was probably closing his eyes behind his helmet, realizing that he was stuck. "Ah. . . yes. It can be done. It will be weak, but it can be done."

The Emperor rolled right over his warning. "Perfect. You'll do it then-"

"No! Not yet. Who, or more importantly, why?"

"Do you remember a certain Dragoon? A warrior by the name of Kain?"

Golbez's finger twitched. Other than that, he gave no other visible sign that he remembered Kain.

"Try appealing to him again. Once more should be easy enough, after all the times you did it before, in your own world."

The Emperor imagined Golbez grimacing behind his black wall.

"And why?"

"I've told you, it coincides with my plan to destroy Cosmos."

". . . I'll not do it."

"What?"

"You all speak as though I am meant to absolutely, and without question, despise everyone on Cosmos' side, without a reason to do so. Yet as hard as I try I cannot muster a single ounce of hatred for them. I sense nothing but a goodness that cannot even be fathomed. You are mistaken. I'll not harm them without reason-"

The Emperor's Flare barely missed Golbez as he dodged in the nick of time. He landed heavily and off-balanced, and couldn't evade the Thundercrest that crept up from underneath him. The shocks tore through him, and the Emperor detonated several mines while he was trapped. When the smoke cleared, Golbez collapsed to a knee, panting heavily. The Emperor put the tip of his staff to Golbez's chest and he froze, tensing for another attack.

"Then let me GIVE you a reason, you traitorous OAF! If you do NOT do this for me, I will KILL Cecil, AND his VERY pretty wife, and I will make you WATCH! THEN, when I'm finished making you clean up the MESS, I'll destroy you, too! Now, are we agreed?"

"C-consider it done."

"Good. Now was that so hard? Have it done within the hour."

The Emperor moved his staff from Golbez's chest and disappeared.


	32. Chapter 32

Golbez, for all intents and purposes, was hating life.

He did _one_ bad thing in his life under the influence of another, and he got stuck with the imbeciles on Chaos' side. He couldn't even remember what it was. It may have been bad, really bad, but still! He couldn't help it. It was Zeromus' will, not his own.

He didn't want to do this, but the Emperor seemed like a cruel, pretentious, contentious soul who stayed true to his threats, and he was more afraid of Kain's fate in the hands of the Emperor than he was of Kain's fate in his own hands. This option was the lesser of the two evils.

As soon as Golbez entered Sanctuary, he had to shield his eyes from the brightness.

" _This must be what happens_ ," he realized sullenly. " _When one spends too much time in darkness, even a small bit of light seems harmful_." He scanned the crown lightly. " _Cosmos must be just about to have a gathering_."

Wonderful. He wanted to wait, to catch Kain alone, but that option was out of the question. He was on a time limit.

Every one of Cosmos' warriors were milling around casually, chatting with one another. The most of them were around three people: a tiny black mage, wearing the trademarked blue in the form of striped pants and heavy overcoat, with a floppy, pointy hat that folded back and the top and hid all but his glowing yellow eyes; a beautiful young woman in a bright, almost fluorescent orange body suit and frilly white shirt underneath, her ivory hair pulled back into a low ponytail like Tifa's; and another tall boy, taller even than Kain by a few inches, wearing a black sleeveless sweater under two pauldrons on his shoulders. Leather straps held up his baggy fatigues, tucked into black combat boots. He was dressed almost identically to another spikey-haired blond, with the exception of his jet black hair, and standard-issued sword on his back. Golbez could see the intense blue of his eyes from where he stood in the shadows of Sanctuary. He easily spotted Kain next, eyeing up the new soldier as he moved to speak to Rosa. His face was marred with a slight frown- he was probably trying to analyze whether or not he was going to be a threat.

" _If only Kain realized who he_ should _be watching for_."

A memory poked through Golbez's mind:

 _He was standing at the edge of a large, deep crevice. The work of that young summoner and her Titan. He saw Kain lying unconscious, dangerously close to the edge. He was on his left side, his right arm thrown across his body and hanging off the ledge, threatening to tip him over. Golbez gently walked forward and grabbed the Dragoon's ankles, dragging him slowly away from the ledge. Almost as soon as he was a safe distance away, the same, familiar voice pierced through Golbez's thoughts.  
_  
"Gooooolbezzzzz," _it hissed.  
_  
" _No!" he said. He ripped his helmet off and pressed his palms to his ears to try to block it out. "Not again!"  
_  
 _The voice transcended his mind. The pressure in his head increased with every word._ "Golbezzzz. Take him. Take control of this wretched warrior. Control him. Enslave him to our cause. Yeeees, a fine addition."

 _"N-no!" he cried, shaking his head furiously. A pain shot across his whole mind and into his temples, so intense he collapsed to a knee.  
_  
"GOLBEZ!" _it yelled. It scared him, and he flinched. He quickly submitted to Zeromus' evil will, too frightened to resist any further. His hand moved without his control to point at Kain, and he felt a surge of power within him. He tried to withdraw, but Zeromus had Golbez in too tight of a grip.  
_  
 _As soon as Kain felt the magic he tried to fight; his eyes shot open and he physically struggled, but his own will couldn't withstand the mental attack. Golbez poked through Kain's memories and emotions, seeing his jealousy, his rage. With each dark though Kain ever had, Golbez fed off the negativity and his influence grew and grew until he had complete control of Kain.  
_  
" _Rise, Kain," he said, freakishly delighted as Zeromus was by his accomplishment.  
_  
 _The Dragoon slowly game to a knee.  
_  
" _Master," he said.  
_  
Golbez jerked awake like he nodded off.

"No," he whispered softly, still coming out of the fresh memory. He looked around, remembered what he was at Sanctuary to do, and sighed deeply. " _Let's just get this over with._ "

* * *

Rosa was excited when they returned from patrol with Lightning to find the three new warriors. She would no longer have to feel like the young, fresh warrior, always in the dark. All her memories were back of all her friends, and of Cecil. She could finally be content, and at peace with at least her presence in this world. Granted, she missed those friends, but she also knew that while she was here, her first duty was to Cosmos. As soon as they were done, she could go home with Cecil and Kain.

She approached a tall, black-haired warrior, and when he turned around, his odd, shiny blue eyes startled her. They both laughed about it, and he told her his name was Zack. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Kain's ever-present frown, but she ignored him.

" _I hope he's willing to apologize_ ," she thought as Cosmos called their attention. " _I understand that I upset him, but I had no memory of him. How could I have known that it would insult him? He's our friend. His anger was completely uncalled for._ "

She walked over to Cecil, and spared him a glance. He felt her eyes on him and returned her gaze with a smile. Instinctually, she reached over and slipped her hand in his. He pulled her in close, wrapping an arm around her waist, all the while keeping his fingers laced with hers.

". . . We have three new faces here. Brave faces," Cosmos said, smiling down at them. "Brave faces to assist you in your battle against Chaos. They are Vivi, Garnet, and Zack."

Garnet waved sheepishly, Zack beamed to the crowd, and Vivi adjusted the brim of his large cap.

"Let us make them feel welcome in our ranks."

"I'd like to do a lot more than that if you know what I mean," Zidane muttered to Bartz, elbowing him and gesturing to Garnet. Bartz stifled a giggle and replied with a quick "Shh!"

Cosmos ignored the interruption with a sigh, and Rosa realized with a start just how tired she looked. Her normal bright shine seemed dulled; her sky blue eyes weren't full of their usual warmth. She just looked drained of her energy, like she was trying not to show it. She smiled warmly, but it never reached her eyes. "Each have wonderful talents to add to our many strengths. Vivi is a black mage, Garnet is a summoner, and Zack is-"

"SOLDIER First Class Zack on the job!" he cried, flourishing his sword.

Cosmos sighed. ". . . An excellent warrior," she finished dully.

"What the hell is a first class soldier?" Zidane answered loudly.

"Don't really remember, but when I do you'll be the first to know, little man!"

"What'd you call me?"

"Oh, how wonderful!" Yuna said. "Another summoner!" She lightly embraced Garnet, and introduced herself. "I am Yuna. What aeons do you possess?"

"Aeons?"

"Oh. Summons. We call them aeons in Spira."

"They are my Eidolons. I have Shiva, Ifrit, Odin, Atomos, Bahamut, Leviathan, and Ark."

Yuna frowned at the names. "I don't know some of those. You've have to show me! I have Valefor, Ifrit Ixion, Shiva, Bahamut. . . "

Rosa pulled away from Cecil and strolled over to Vivi. She smiled politely down at the little mage. "Hello!"

"H-hi."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ros-"

"Th-thanks, you too," he stammered quietly. Then he quickly made his way to the back of the group.

Rosa and Cecil shared a glance, and he raised an eyebrow at her. She only shrugged. "Shy? Cecil, have you noticed anything odd about Cosmos-"

Without warning, Warrior whipped around and narrowed his eyes at Sanctuary's edge. "Halt!" his voice rang out, breaking the conversation. "Someone is watching us."

Immediately, 20 pairs of eyes scanned the horizon. Some hands went for their weapons, so Rosa slipped an arrow from the quiver and notched it on her bow. She fingered the soft, feathered plume in slight excitement.

She'd be ready this time.

"I do not sense a Chaos warrior. . . " Cosmos said frowning.

"You've just summoned three warriors. You are weakened."

" _Ah. So that's what it was_ ," Rosa thought.

"Circle up!" Warrior called. "Around the throne! Protect Cosmos!"

They complied. For close to ten seconds no one moved. The only sound was the shallow lap of water. Then, finally, Lightning called out, "Over there!"

They followed the direction of her gun blade, but could see nothing in the shadows.

"I sense him too," said Warrior. He called out to the shadow, his voice unusually loud and blaring against the eerie stillness, "Hiding will do you no good! We know of your presence! Show yourself, fiend of Chaos, or face immediate destruction!"

Three more seconds of silence. "So be it," Warrior said to himself. He stepped forward and held up his sword. Red, translucent copies of the blade materialized around him in an arc. He pulled back his arm to release the Radiant Sword when an arm grabbed his, stopping him.

"Wait!" Cecil cried, pointing to the shadows. "Look!"

He was nearly indistinguishable from the darkness, but sure enough they could see Golbez emerging from the dark. Warrior took one look and recharged his attack, but Rosa ran in his path.

"Stop, please! That's Golbez! He's a friend. He saved my life!"

"A friend? Says who?" Light snorted.

" _I_ say. He's my brother," Cecil said, squaring his shoulders to her.

Now was her chance to thank him, she realized. She began running towards Golbez at a jog. Kain and Cecil looked to each other and nodded, then sprinted after her. She stopped a few feet from Golbez, leaving a safe amount of space between them. Kain dropped from a Jump directly in front and to the left of her and Cecil ran up, flanking her on the right.

"Golbez. I never did get to thank you for saving my life, a few cycles ago."

Golbez said nothing.

Cecil stepped forward, past Kain. "Nor did I. Thank you, brother, for saving my wife." He placed a fist over his heart and bowed slightly to Golbez.

Again, awkward silence. Golbez looked quickly from her to him, like he had no idea what was happening.

Rosa cleared her throat. "Thank you?"

Without warning, Golbez raised his hands and formed a Night Glow under the two of them. Cecil immediately shoved Rosa back out of range, taking the attack for her. He dropped to a knee as Kain engaged Golbez. They exchanged a few blows, and Rosa fumbled to notch an arrow, cursing softly. Golbez shoved Kain back, Rosa's arrow clicked into place, and the ring of 17 blades accompanied the creak of her bow, but all froze as Kain hissed, "Wait! Stop!"

Rosa stared down the arrow, and what she saw ran her blood cold. Golbez's right hand stayed raised in front of him to cast, while his left was extended to the side, magic suspending the struggling Cecil in mid-air like he was being held by the throat.

She faltered, lowering her bow slightly. Golbez jumped at her movement and sent a purple fire down his arm into Cecil. He squirmed once, his face grimacing in pain, then he went rigid and grit his teeth, fighting against the searing pain of the fire.

"Not another move," Golbez warned.

In an instant, Kain pulled his hand back and hurled his lance at Golbez. Gathering the edge of his cape, Golbez disappeared with a sweep. The lance hissed through the air and splashed harmlessly into Sanctuary's water.

"Cecil!" Rosa screamed. She ran to where Golbez had been standing with him. "No. . . "

* * *

That was it. He missed his chance. He should've attacked Kain first, grabbed him, and ran. As soon as he turned to Cecil and Rosa, he lost his opportunity. And then he pushed Kain away- WHY did he not grab Kain while they were fighting? Instead, battle instinct took over, and then Cecil was the closest.

So Golbez grabbed Cecil and ran off.

The Emperor was going to be furious.

* * *

 **A/N: Lemme know what you think of this so far! Good or bad, if you have time please leave a review!**

 **-Keyblader41996**


	33. Chapter 33

Cecil woke on his back, facing a sky full of glittering stars in the Lunar Subterraine. He sat up, immediately regretting the motion after a splitting headache tore between his eyes and assaulted his temples. He pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to flop back down, and slowly looked around.

"Brother?" he called softly. His voice echoed eerily around the open area. He was seemingly alone.

He couldn't really remember what happened; it was an odd blur. Golbez attacked him and Rosa at Sanctuary and took him here. . . then what? A strange black hole sat in his memory. Every time strained to look into it, it retreated further and further back, running away from him.

He ever so slowly rolled to his hands and knees, every muscle groaning in protest. He made sure not to aggravate his headache, but the room still spun and the sound faded away from his ears for a moment before everything settled. Cecil fought with Golbez here, of that he was sure, but then. . . something. . . went wrong in his mind. As if to exaggerate his last statement, another flare of pain blazed through his head, and he pressed his fingers to his temple to steady the room. He realized with sudden clarity that he'd better leave before Golbez attacked again.

Cecil almost instantly regretted the thought. Golbez was his brother. He trusted him deeply; he saved Rosa, he'd risked his life in several cycles to provide intel to Cosmos' side despite extremely great personal risk. Even back in Baron he helped them defeat Zeromus when his mind was freed. To think ill of him didn't seem possible, let alone just.

And yet, he attacked. He took Cecil away and attacked him. What was going on?

Cecil went to stand, but before he could, a forcefield hit him square in the chest and tossed him on his back. It pressed against him, holding him in place. He struggled weakly, but the pressure weighing him down and the vertigo were too much.

Golbez teleported beside him, standing over him and looking down.

"Your light is strong," he said tiredly, despairingly. "Stronger than I imagined. But the darkness will supersede." Golbez shot black, crackling lightning down on him. Cecil could only watch as the spell hit him, sending torrents of electricity rocketing through him. He tossed and jerked uncontrollably while the shocks _pinged_ and danced off and through his armor. Holding the spell on him, Golbez watched calmly as his back arched and he writhed beneath the forcefield. He lowered his hand and the shocks receded, leaving Cecil panting to catch his breath. Golbez added, more to himself, "It _must_ prevail, for both our sakes."

"Brother. . . why do this?" Cecil questioned.

Distantly, Cecil watched Golbez raise his hand again. He shut his eyes tightly, expecting the shocks, but no spell tore through him again. All he could feel was an odd, slight, tugging sensation in his mind, as though his mind was being led away from himself. It was so gentle, and took him so off-guard he nearly went with it, wanting to follow it into the blissful abyss that was left in its wake. He blinked dizzily, nearly submitting. His senses dulled until it was the only thing he felt.

It scared and startled him. He didn't know what was happening, but for some reason he felt that if he went along with it, he wouldn't see Rosa again. Or Kain. Or any of his friends. He mentally pushed the blackness away and held it at bay. Suddenly the light, feathery tugging shifted into a violent shoving. He opened his eyes in alarm as he felt himself being led away from his consciousness, and he desperately fought back. He winced as the pressure in his head increased, but continued to try to expel Golbez from his mind.

Patches of purple armor dotted Cecil's clear white armor in Golbez's attempt to wrest control of his darkness, the side of himself he so adamantly deserted when he became a Paladin. The dark side of himself, the coward, that couldn't say no to the king; the half that burnt down Mist village. The side that killed innocent people like they were ants beneath his boots.

He pressed back harder, increasing the pain in his head until he physically recoiled, nearly losing his grip on his mind completely. He was determined. He would not lose himself.

"Why do you not just submit?" Golbez cried angrily. "Why do you maintain this grasp of the light? The darkness is still within you! Will you not realize its power? You're making this harder for both of us, you fool!" He removed his spells from Cecil's mind, and he relaxed against the soft dirt of the moon. Cecil dug his fingers into the fine sand, clenching a fistful of dirt to cling to in case the pain started again.

Instead, Golbez sighed. "Very well. If _I_ cannot draw forth your darkness. . . "

The sentence trailed off as Golbez bent down and lifted Cecil by the cape. He disappeared with him once more.


	34. Chapter 34

"But we _must_ go look for him!" Rosa cried. "Who knows what Goblez is doing to him?! He could be dying!"

Lightning shook her head. "Tch! 'Oh, but Golbez is a friend! He'd _never_ hurt Cecil!'" she said mockingly.

Rosa waved her off furiously. "I know what I said, but in case you missed it, Golbez TURNED ON us! He's probably attacking Cecil right now, and _we need to go after him!_ "

"We _will_!" Warrior assured her. "But we need to be careful. I am more than leery, it is probably a trap!"

At Rosa's utterly horrified stare Onion came to Warrior's defense. "Ummm, yeah. Sorry, Rosa, but this whole thing just screams 'trap.' He probably wants to lead us into an ambush or something so Chaos warriors can kill us all."

"I don't care WHAT he wants!" Rosa cried. Hot, burning tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, and her cheeks heated up as well. "My _husband_ is out there, at the mercy of Chaos' fiends, and we need to _save_ him! They'll KILL him!" An angry tear slid down her cheek, and she made no haste to wipe it away. Their apparent nonchalance cut her like a blade. How could they be so calm about Cecil's kidnapping like this? She _just_ got him back. She _just_ began to feel whole, and complete, and immeasurably triumphant and joyful.

And it was _just_ ripped away from her, with no warning. An entire half of her heart was pried from her chest with Golbez's bare hands.

Kain wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she turned into him, grateful for someone to comfort her. She put her arm around his waist and rested her head on his chest, and he stiffened like a board before hugging her shoulders.

"Kain, please!" she implored him, "Help them see reason! Make them help Cecil!" she begged. She knew she sounded like a whining child, but she didn't care. She was scared and hurt, and nobody seemed to care.

Kain furiously turned to the others. " _Will_ you see reason? Why will you not help her?" He looked to all the faces before him, staring down any chance of a response, good or bad. "He is her HUSBAND! And your FRIEND! What would you do if it were _your_ loved ones?"

Many in the crowd refused to meet his gaze. He scanned them, pausing for any sort of reaction. Zidane was the first to break, his tail twitching nervously. Kain noticed, and took his opportunity.

"Zidane, you say over and over that you cannot bear seeing a woman in peril. Why would you not help Rosa now? What would you do if it was Garnet in need?"

Zidane stiffened at the mention of his name. He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed by the unwanted attention called on him. "I don't. . . know, I'd. . . probably go help her. With whatever she needed." Garnet looked at him curiously, but said nothing. Kain looked over Rosa's shoulder at him hard.

"'Probably?'" The ferocity of his gaze all but froze the water in Sanctuary.

"No, I definitely would."

"Cloud. If Tifa was in trouble?"

Unconsciously, Cloud's fists clenched. Kain nodded and moved on. "Warrior, if _Cosmos_ needed your assistance. . . ?" He didn't need to finish the scenario. The others knew the lengths the knight would go to see Cosmos safe. "You can guarantee you would have the others to help you, too. So _why_ , when a friend's loved one, as well as _your_ friend, is in need, you abandon them and that friend to face the dangers alone?" The crowd shifted nervously. Kain looked directly at Warrior, the first to say no to Rosa. "You'd _better_ not call for _our_ help the next time Cosmos needs something you cannot do alone."

Warrior couldn't keep the shock from crossing his features. Then his eyes narrowed. Kain smirked back.

"What do you think Cecil would do in our place?" Kain continued. "He'd lay his life on the line to save any one of you, and this is how you repay his kindness? By leaving him to die?"

"This is not about leaving Cecil! Cease your melodrama. It is not as though we don't care enough to rescue him. We just cannot waste time and efforts to-"

"To go and look for him?! To save his LIFE?!" Rosa cried. "There are 20 of us! You mean to tell me that Golbez will be a match for 20 people? 20 well-trained, fully-equipped WARRIORS?! It would be so simple!"

"Not if it's an ambush, or some trap! Not all of us can go, anyhow. We need some to defend Cosmos. We cannot send too many to find him and leave her here, unprotected. Chaos' forces have grown too bold for that. At the same time," Warrior said, "we cannot have a majority stay and send few to retrieve him. It may not be enough if Golbez has reinforcements."

"So split us in half! She is a goddess!" Kain yelled incredulously.

"Her power wanes with each cycle-"

"You mean she cannot protect herself for one day, maybe two? Where does she go when she disappears for days on end?" Cosmos' head snapped up, an angry retort on her lips, but she snapped them shut and held in the defense. "Cosmos cannot hide herself away?" Kain gently pulled away from Rosa to turn to Cosmos. "You can, can you not?"

"I. . ."

"Don't lie to me! _Can_ you leave until we find Cecil?"

She stared directly into his eyes, as though she could see them perfectly under his helmet. "Kain, it is _only_ my power that holds the world aloft. I cannot leave this collection of worlds. If I do, the imbalance would deepen, and the worlds would collapse. I just summoned three warriors. I _must not_ leave. I am sorry. Please know that I am not neglecting Cecil-"

"Of course you are. You _all_ are!" He turned back to Warrior. "Is this how a person of the light acts when a friend like Cecil is in danger? Leave them to the mercy of their captors and sit idly by as the screams are carried to us by the wind?" Cosmos recoiled as if struck, so Kain continued. "I did not realize Cosmos stood for such people-"

Warrior's sword was in his hand and pointed at Kain's throat at the mention of the goddess. "Don't you. DARE. Insult her. Or any of us." His tone rang with challenge, but Kain regarded him calmly. He called his own lance to his left hand.

"Hm. How valiant. Defending your heartless goddess but not Cecil?"

"Again, stop being so dramatic. Fighting me is not helping you find him more quickly, is it? I am staying to defend Cosmos. Why don't you go?"

Kain paused, then nodded. "I am going to find Cecil," he called loudly. "Those of you who wish to assist are welcome. All others should expect no kindness from me in the future."

"I'm in!" Tidus yelled, running forward. He pounded his fist into his other hand. "Come on, guys, Cecil would do the same for us!"

Terra spoke up next, "Cecil's always been there for me, for all of us! Now's our turn to be there for him."

"I don't know much about him," Zack said, striding cooly forward, "but from the way Kain talks about him, I'm guessing he's a special guy. I'll pitch in!"

None stepped forward again. Firion looked absolutely stricken, torn between choosing Cecil and obeying Warrior. Zidane looked guilty, but took a step towards Garnet, solidifying his choice. Bartz looked upset as well, gaze sliding from Kain to Warrior. Vivi just looked scared out of his mind.

"Very well. Come, Rosa." Kain took her hand and led the small party from Order's Sanctuary.

Rosa gave one last backwards glance to her comrades, maybe to convince a few more. Kain jerked her back around with a none-too-gentle tug on her hand.

"Don't worry, Rosa. We'll rescue him together. You'll see."


	35. Chapter 35

When Cecil regained consciousness once more, he was aware of more than one person surrounding him. He kept his eyes closed for fear of alerting his captors that he was awake, and instead focused on the sounds around him. He heard a distant bubbling of lava and a shuffle, and the sensation of raw power reached him. He immediately knew he was at the Edge of Madness, in the presence of Chaos.

"You want me to awaken his darkness?" the god asked.

"Yes," Golbez answered simply.

"Hmmmm," Chaos grumbled, shifting his weight in his throne. "For what purpose?"

"It is . . . an experiment of sorts. As my memories return, I remember a certain . . . power that I had before I was summoned. I'd like to test it."

" _That can't be true_!" Cecil thought. " _Even if he_ was _trying to betray us, he would never_ -"

"Plus, not only would we gain a valuable ally," Golbez bribed, "but we would also have a source of information. He is trusted by Cosmos and her warriors. He could gather knowledge for us and share it. Not to mention his power. Especially with conflicting strengths."

Cecil opened his eyes and glanced at Golbez, whose helmet gave nothing away. He shifted his eyes to Chaos, only to meet the god's glowing, hate-filled eyes evenly. Cecil could see the Chaos's calculations: Advantages versus disadvantages? A cover for betrayal of some sort? What power could be measured in Cecil? What could he gain? Chaos held the cold gaze until Cecil looked away.

"And what are your plans with him? Why do you 'experiment' so?" Chaos asked, tapping the tips of his fingers together.

"He will be the one to cause the destruction of Cosmos, if all goes well."

"How is it he will accomplish this?" Chaos's new, flattened tone and bored expression told Cecil he was unconvinced.

" _Don't think for one minute he believes you_ ," Cecil thought spitefully. " _Nor do I_."

Golbez replied smoothly, "I suppose if it succeeds, you will see." Chaos narrowed his eyes. He expected a bit more information than what Golbez was providing. "As for why, my brother bested me in battle in previous cycles, and I want revenge-"

"' _Revenge_ '?" Chaos asked incredulously, leaning forward in his throne. "You must think me simple! Either that, or YOU are the simple one, believing the lies that are fed to you, Purified or otherwise! I've seen more cycles than you could _know_! I've seen the comings and goings of _countless_ warriors! I've studied their 'styles', shall we say. Discovered their musings. And I've been around _you_ long enough to know that someone else's words are coming from your mouth!"

" _Purified_?" Cecil thought. " _So he didn't exactly_ betray _us."_ Despite his situation, that was a wonderful relief. Of course if Golbez was Purified he would want to attack.

Chaos paused, glancing at Cecil. He sat back more calmly. "There is a rat among us. Whether you smell it or not, there is. You're a fool if you think the rat's intentions stop where he says they do, large one. Why you're assisting him I cannot fathom, but I can sense you harbor no love for him. So know this:" Chaos sat up a little straighter, "his supposed kindness, or whatever it was that drew you to him when you awoke in this cycle, is nothing more than an illusion. A ploy. The moment he is finished with you, he will dispose of you like the pawn you are. He plans the same for myself." Chaos let our a long, slow, growling chuckle. "As soon as this cycle is finished, be his plans for Cosmos successful or otherwise, his time in this conflict is at an end. I will ensure he does not return. He's been too often a nuisance. I cannot be sure if you are aiding him, or if he is just putting ideas into your head that you are pursuing. But you would be wise to not become too entangled in his schemes. If they bring you to cross me, it will be the end of you as well. I only keep you now through all these cycles because you were always quiet, and I always liked you. Past traitor or not." Standing from his throne, Chaos stomped over to Cecil. "Still, another pawn of the dark should be where he belongs: submerged in the dark."

Cecil glared up at Chaos in defiance. "I'll never succumb to the darkness." Whatever they were planning to do to him, that part of him was gone. He repented; he was a Paladin now. No longer would his Dark Knight harm innocent people on behalf of someone else.

Chaos stared down at him for a few moments. As though he read Cecil's mind, his eyes narrowed, and his lips curled up into a sneer. "We'll see. Cosmos returned your dark powers to you when she called you. Obviously, the roots are still embedded in your heart.

"STAND!" Chaos ordered him, so violently he flinched. For a terrifying moment he nearly obeyed, but a small twinge of defiance still lingered. He stayed where he was on the ground of the Edge of Madness.

"I do not answer to you, monster."

Chaos grabbed a fistful of his cape, much as Golbez had done, and picked him up as though he weighed nothing. He pulled back and threw Cecil back into the wall. He cried out, slipping from the wall, and before he fell to the ground, Chaos dropped to all fours and pounded over to him. He grabbed Cecil by the throat and slid him back up the wall.

Cecil clutched at Chaos's wrists in an attempt to lesson the pressure on his airways, but Chaos only gripped his neck tighter. With one of his arms he opened his palm, and a red and black flame grew in his hand. He sneered down at Cecil.

"Why do you scrabble desperately to maintain this weak grip on your 'light' when it is so easily snuffed out by the slightest touch of darkness?" He touched the small flame to Cecil's chest, and it absorbed into him. Cecil gasped in painful surprise, but the noise was cut short into a grimace of pain as the dark flame sunk right into his heart. It seared his chest with blistering pain, hatred, every form of rage, jealousy, every negative emotion, ripping through and gutting him of everything honorable. He could feel the raging, scorching inferno fester and spread from his heart to the rest of his body. The burning agony was unbearable, but no matter how he squirmed the flame grew and engulfed him, singing his skin and bones. His grip tightened around Chaos' arm until his knuckles were white and his nails bit into Chaos' skin, and he bit his lip. He refused to scream through the heat and burning of his heart. The god only smiled sadistically.

The dark purple hue of his Dark Knight once again bled through the Paladin, spreading the cloak of black over his whole body and over his face where the helmet formed over his features. They were no relief from the heat.

Then he lost consciousness.

* * *

Chaos nodded approvingly. "His darkness has indeed been drawn forth." He dropped Cecil, who landed in a crouch and straightened up facing Golbez. "He is yours to command. IF you can manage control over him. If it is weak, he WILL fight."

Of course, just what Golbez warned the Emperor about. The strength of the connection. "Is he aware of what is happening around him?"

"You may have control of him when you please. Otherwise, he will be in his right mind. Let me reiterate: I care not what he does, or what you do with him. I care not if he destroys Cosmos, or if he does not. She will eventually meet her end regardless. But if you so much as THINK of using him against me, or coming after me on behalf of the Emperor . . . " Chaos let the threat trail off, and instead held up the same flames he used on Cecil. He clenched his fist around it and Cecil collapsed instantly. He writhed on the ground screaming and seizing in unmeasurable, indisputable pain. Chaos unclenched his fist and Cecil uncoiled, relaxing with a huge sigh of relief, chest rising and falling rapidly.

Golbez didn't reply. He didn't need to. Chaos knew he got the message. He grabbed hold of Cecil and hoisted him up to his feet, disappearing to find the Emperor.


	36. Chapter 36

Cosmos watched Kain go, a sad frown marring her beautiful face.

"Good riddance," muttered Warrior. His aquamarine eyes were glued to the spot where Kain disappeared in defiant malice, like Chaos himself were off in the distance. Cosmos shook her head.

"No," she said plainly. "Do not be angry with them. They care for Cecil, as all of us should care for a comrade. I am sorry. I give them my blessing, and I hope they recover him soon . . ." Too late she realized that she let her melancholy and guilt and fear seep into her voice.

Warrior picked up on it instantly. "Cosmos, is something wrong?" Firion looked up sharply, his gaze flicking curiously from Warrior to Cosmos. She tried to keep her face blank, shaking her head slowly.

"No."

"But you are uneasy?" She shook her head, harder that time. By then the other warriors were listening in.

"Come on, Cosmos," Vaan said, stepping up to the goddess. "If this is about Cecil, you need to tell us. Is something bad happening to him?"

" _They should know the truth . . . they'll hate me for it, but they should know_." She sighed, preparing herself for their reactions. "Kain was right. I am probably able to leave Sanctuary and travel the worlds for a short period of time." A collective sound of alarm went throughout he crowd, but before they could say anything she pressed on, "I am able to leave, but I was hesitant to say so because I just summoned three warriors. I may not be strong enough to last out there, and I know not how weak an absence would leave me. This world could suffer for it."

"So you mean to tell me that you _lied_ to Kain, further endangering Cecil, just to save your own skin?" Onion cried. "Cosmos why? He's YOUR warrior-"

"What I said to Kain was not a lie, dear knight!" Cosmos tried quickly to recover the situation, raising both hands palms out as if to ward them off. "The balance is indeed fragile, as I told Kain. I, and I alone, am keeping the world from tumbling. This is the seat of my power, this place, and I am much stronger here. It is much easier to-"

"You're saying it wouldn't _destroy_ the world if you left for a while," Light finished for her. "You're just not willing to sacrifice some power for a warrior! You're not willing to do a little extra work-"

"Lightning, do you not understand?" Warrior quipped, coming to Cosmos' defense. "She is saying that her power keeps the balance. But she is weakened right now after a summoning. If she leaves _Sanctuary_ , where she is her strongest, and her power leaves her, she cannot uphold the balance any longer! The worlds would collapse into Discord. Not to mention the danger she'd be putting herself in, being out there unprotected!"

"Are you sure that is what would happen?" Firion asked. "I thought that the way it worked was that _we_ fight for the protection of the world! Not that she's 'holding it up'!"

"H-how _does_ it work?!" Vivi yelled. "Somebody tell me!"

"Yeah, I think we ALL deserve an explanation!" Bartz said.

Cosmos took a deep breath. "Most of you are aware that we battle against Chaos. Chaos is the god of Discord, for the new warriors," she said to Garnet, Zack, and Vivi. "Chaos, if he is victorious, will sink the world in Discord. He will destroy everything, including me and you. Well, lately, we've been winning. Our recent 'victories' to Chaos, and I said 'victories' because we've just been outlasting them, not beating them, both increase my powers, and strengthen the world. So, with the power I've been biding, I summoned new warriors, using most of my powers to call three more. But it left me weak. Now that I am weaker again, the world is once again in peril. I must maintain the balance as well as I can myself until our new additions enter the fray to contribute. That is the gamble we both take, Chaos and I. This couldn't have come at a worse time, is all. Does everyone understand?"

"So, why can't you leave and 'hold up the world' from somewhere else?" Light asked, crossing her arms.

Warrior faced her fully. "Because, she-"

"Warrior," Cosmos interrupted, "please, let me. I _can_ do that, but it would be much harder to do anywhere else besides Sanctuary, especially with my strength now."

"Ok, that's fine, and that makes sense, I guess, but why did you lie to Kain?" Zidane asked.

Cosmos swallowed. "Because I didn't want to leave Sanctuary and jeopardize my power, and the world-"

"Cecil wasn't WORTH losing power," Light translated.

"How DARE you?" Warrior cried, placing himself between Cosmos and Lightning. "You scold Cosmos and rebuke her for not helping Cecil, yet less than a moment ago none of you ran to help him in his hour of need!"

An awkward silence fell over the warriors, until a splashing from the back of the group made everyone turn. Cloud had his sword on his back and was walking away from them.

"Cloud?" Firion asked.

"You know, Warrior, you're right," Cloud said, glancing over his shoulder. "I don't know about the rest of you, but this changes my decision. I'm gonna go catch up with Kain."

"Cloud-" Warrior cut in, but Cosmos silenced him with a shake of her head.

"I want you all to go," she said quietly. "I am ashamed of the way I treated Cecil, and the way I was dishonest with Kain and Rosa. I am willing to hide away until you all return him safely to us."

"Cosmos . . . "

"Hush, Warrior. My choice is made. All of you are to help Kain." She disappeared in a dim flash of light, ending the argument.

Warrior turned to them all. "Very well. Come, then. We are to go with Kain and the others."


	37. Chapter 37

"What is _this_?" The Emperor uncrossed his leg and squinted down at Cecil like he was too far away and out of focus.

"I . . . my apologies, Emperor. I could not retrieve Kain as you so kindly requested-"

"OBVIOUSLY!" he cried. "And instead you bring me this ridiculous, sub-par, patched-together replacement?! How DARE you come before me with this LUDICROUS FAILURE?!" He ran a panicked hand through the top of his head, knocking the decorative cobra askew on his head. That was it. Golbez ruined the plan. " _The IMBECILE_!" the Emperor fumed to himself. " _I'll KILL him for this! I'll have his HELMET ON A STICK! I'll_ -"

"It is done, is it not?" Goblez asked. "You have your toy. I've done what you asked. My part is done-"

"No it isn't, you pitiful creature! Tell me how you accomplished this since CECIL was not the ORIGINAL TARGET!"

Golbez hesitated, and the Emperor narrowed his eyes up at him. He raised his eyebrows in inquiry. "Gol-BEZ!" he said through his teeth.

"It . . . ah . . . proved more difficult than I had anticipated."

"DID it?!"

"At first, his light was too strong, even with my strongest persuasion."

"AND?"

"And so I required some help. Chaos used his powers of Discord to-"

"Chaos?!" That name jolted the Emperor to his feet with a poker of white-hot rage and fear. "You took him to CHAOS?! You FOOL!" he yelled, striding up to Golbez. "You TOLD him of my plans?! How DARE you!" He whacked Golbez's chest with his staff. "How DARE you, when I TOLD. you. to. tell. NO. ONE!" Each word was accompanied by a jab into his chest, so powerful that they made Golbez stagger. "You've jeopardized my en-TIRE plan, you imbecile!"

He went for another jab, but his staff was blocked by Cecil's spear. He parried the Emperor's blow and broke the block, placing himself between the two of them. The Emperor glared at Cecil in surprise. What was this? Had Golbez actually succeeded _that_ well, even with Cecil and not Kain? No, it was Choas, he realized. Chaos' power gave Golbez such control.

"You did not let me finish," Golbez stated calmly. "I was saying that Chaos used his powers to give me control over Cecil's darkness, and when he asked, I stated that it was my doing, that I was going to be using Cecil. _I_ did not mention you."

Something in Golbez's last sentence gave the Emperor the inkling that he was lying. He still took Golbez's words into account, though. It _had_ still worked, hadn't it? He supposed as long as Golbez was in control and not Chaos, he could still accomplish his plan, so long as Cecil was kept on their leash. Revenge would still be immediate. But how much did Chaos suspect? Was it safe to continue with his plan?

" _It is too far in motion to cease it now_ ," he reassured himself. " _The cogs have begun moving, the gears spinning. Why should I halt now_?" He forced himself to stay calm and walk back to his throne to think it over. "Hmmmm, I _suppose_ no harm has been done." He glanced sidelong at Cecil, who was still frozen in a defensive position. "As long as you are certain you can control him?"

"Yes."

"Show me."

Golbez held up his hand, palm out to Cecil. "When I desire control over him, my influence will call forth his tampered darkness, where it waits in his sub-consciousness. I can then command him to do whatever I may need. Observe."

Cecil reset his position, spear held behind him at the ready. Then he straightened up, casting away the weapon, and knelt before the Emperor.

"Do you see?" Golbez continued. "If that is all you require, I'll be off-" Golbez was obviously uncomfortable with this.

"Stop!" called the Emperor. "Not enough. What else?"

Golbez paused.

"Do not forget my little threat, Golbez," the Emperor said, raising his staff to draw a Thundercrest under Cecil. "You will indulge everything."

"I have control of his actions and body, and even his thoughts. When he is a Paladin, I can plant thoughts and impulses to bend him further to my will. Due to the nature of your schemes, I will be using the latter more, I presume."

"You seem almost relieved by that, Golbez. The thought of pushing him over the edge yourself is too much to bear," he taunted. "You'd rather just put the pretty thought in his head and watch him do it himself than feel responsible, yes? And when you do not want control of him?"

The dark armor began to crack and peel away, at some points seeming to melt off until finally, it was a bright, Paladin Cecil that knelt in front of the Emperor, the dark pallors garish against the general dark purple of the top of Pandaemonium. He gasped, like he was scared awake, looking around frantically, eyes wide and confused. Then his eyes locked on the Emperor. He jack-knifed to his feet and called his spear, pointing it straight at the Emperor.

"Wh-where am I? What is going on?" He slowly backed away step by shaky step from the Emperor. "What have you done? What have you done to me?!"

Cecil stopped when he backed straight into Golbez. He whirled around, a small cry of fear escaping his lips. He stabbed his spear at Golbez, who stepped aside and grabbed Cecil's wrist, halting him. With his other hand Golbez ripped the spear from Cecil's white-knuckle grip and tossed it away.

"Cecil, you mustn't attack us."

Cecil struggled harder. That was exactly what he wanted to do.

Golbez tried again, "We are not your enemies. Cease your resistance!"

"N-not my . . . "

"No." He continued to stare down at Cecil until he completely relaxed. Golbez turned to the Emperor. "Now, observe. Cecil," he said to the knight, "call forth your spear."

"Why? I have no need of it," Cecil said in a perfectly normal but confused tone, his eyebrows knitting together in apparently genuine confusion. "There are no enemies here."

Golbez gestured to Cecil, and the Emperor smiled sadistically. "Very good, Golbez. She should actually do perfectly."

A patch of air rippled and darkened behind all of them, and from the darkness, Cosmos materialized before them.

"Cosmos?" asked Cecil.

"Hmph! Not even close!" she purred.

Even the Emperor looked surprised and confused. Then he composed himself. "Hm. Impressive. Though you will have to work on that entrance, Ultimecia."

"Everything is going exactly as you said," she said in an eerily similar voice to Cosmos. "They left to find the knight, and Cosmos has left as well. We had best move quickly."

"Go, then. I will send Kefka and Exdeath after Cecil's rescue party to return him."

And so Cosmos' destruction begins.

From the inside out.


	38. Chapter 38

"Hush, Warrior. My choice is made. All of you are to help Kain." Cosmos disappeared before another word could be made in argument.

Almost as soon as she entered the World Between, a great lethargy took her over, deadening her muscles. She pushed through it, scanning the Void. It would do her no good if she lost power here. Any Chaos warrior passing through could see her.

" _I don't want to do this_ ," she thought as she traveled between worlds. " _But lying to them was more wrong and selfish. Why did I even try to lie in the first place_?" She should've known her guilt would be too much for her to swallow. " _They'll probably never trust me again as they used to . . . if at all . . ._ " she fumed silently.

She scanned the portals to each section of the World, finally deciding on the further end of the Cornelia Plains. It would do her no more good either if she went to a specific world or gateway. She would be cornered if she were to run into Chaos' warriors. Plus too, it was just outside of Sanctuary. If she were in an honest bind, she could make it back. She hoped.

She teleported in a flags of light, and her strength momentarily failed her. She collapsed, her arm keeping her from falling completely on her face. Dusting off her immaculate white, satiny dress, she stood and looked around from the very center of the Plains. This was so stupid. She could be caught or killed. And if she was killed, so were they. The risks were too great. She should have swallowed her guilt, pounded it down until she could've dealt with it.

" _This is for the best_ ," she countered herself evenly as she felt her failing powers wane. " _This is for my warriors. I owe this to them_."

Cosmos shivered with the quiet loneliness of the silence. Maybe she would feel safer in the Fens. Or the Snow Fields, if she could make it.

As if in response, the ground trembled beneath her feet. With a flash of red lightning the sky shot alight with crimson, then fell back to a serene, cloudy grey. She could feel Chaos' advancement, and she let a surge of her power and essence push to each corner of the boundaries of the land of Discord, pushing back Chaos and fortifying her hold on the land. She nearly collapsed again, closing her crystalline blue eyes and crouching to a knee.

No, she would be staying here.

"Are you certain that leaving Sanctuary was wise?"

Cosmos jumped and whirled around, her heart leaping and fluttering in her throat. Before her she saw an odd reflection of herself step from a dark portal.

" _A manikin_?" she thought dizzily, fathering her gold shawl around her.

Since when were there manikins of her? Or ones that spoke, no less. She wasn't even sure she actually heard anything in the first place. No matter, she was in no position to fight. She needed to get away.

"Then again," the manikin said, "your entire side has never been men of sense."

Cosmos blinked hard, and the black aura that she had previously missed surrounded the odd, detailed copy of herself. She blinked again through her weak fog and after a moment, Ultimecia stood before Cosmos.

"Convincing, is it not? Though I suppose you'd be able to see through it anyway. You _are_ a goddess, albeit a weak goddess."

Cosmos adjusted the bottom of her dress, lifting it to re-lay it down her legs. She smoothed it gently, then put her hand, palm out, in front of her, ready to cast if she needed to. Not that she could defend herself if she had to. It was all she could do to stay standing at this point.

"You plan to challenge a goddess?" Cosmos asked, trying to keep her voice from quavering through the bluff. "Who is the one speaking of sense?"

"Hmph! Don't make me laugh! Chaos told us cycles ago what happens when you leave Sanctuary now with how weak you are. How weak you've _become_. And don't think I missed you nearly passing out a second ago." She clicked her tongue. " _Tsk!_ How did you get reduced to this, dear?" she asked, shaking her head.

"The cycles take much out of me. Summoning new warriors, Chaos' numerous victories . . . we get stronger when we win, but he wins more often," Cosmos admitted softly.

"I wonder why _that_ is," Ultimecia said sarcastically. "They can't even trust their leader. We _know_ Chaos lies to us, hides things from us, but is that not to be expected from the god of discord? Oh, the _irony_ that the goddess of harmony, perfection incarnate, would be the selfish one who lies to her warriors!"

"I did what I had to for the sake of this world!" Cosmos said defensively. "I lost six warriors permanently in the 12th! I lost those six to the void, and my other 10 chosen, along with a large sum of my power. The victory in the 13th was not enough to compensate for my many losses, especially since they left with my power manifested- their crystals. So, I did what I had to and called them all back from their homes, restoring much of my power. The 14th and 15th was a loss, as I could not summon any more warriors, even with their power back. All I could do was offer a fraction of it to Shinryu in exchange for the six in the Rift. In the 17th I called Rosa. None of mine were defeated after that, Chaos was just stronger!"

Why was she trying to justify herself to a Chaos warrior? She didn't know. Still, she pressed on, "So, I was very weak, even during the win of the 17th. I spent much of the next cycles, 18, 19, and much of this 20th trying to bide my strength, and absorb what power I could from Sanctuary. I suppose I _do_ have you to thank for that, considering killing your own warriors was the reason I won. But the power returned to me was not true victorious power from Shinryu. It was a minuscule, miserable amount, because my warriors were not stronger than Chaos', no. They were just outlasting them. It wasn't enough strength to be comfortable. Unfortunately, if I fall, they ALL fall, and so does the world, so I tried as desperately as I could to stay in Sanctuary with good reason. If that meant lying, then so be it."

What even prompted her to defend herself to Ultimecia? Maybe to relieve some of her guilt; to protect that last shred of pitiful justification she had left. Maybe to try and rationalize through the fear in the pit of her stomach.

Ultimecia smiled as though she won a great battle. "Oh, and you saw the _terrible_ disillusionment and hurt on your precious warriors' faces, and you couldn't _stand_ it, could you? The guilt was going to eat you alive, and you knew it, so you left. My, what a terrible thing, to have scruples. And here we are! What poor timing on your part! If only you knew how _perfectly_ your decisions fell into place, you'd be amazed! Even _I'm_ a little jealous of the Emperor's luck!"

"What have you done?" Cosmos asked, shrinking back from the witch slightly.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. Trust me, dear."

The false Cosmos swiped her hand to the side, and a barrage of purple crystal arrows shot towards the goddess. She there her arms up in a hasty block, and a faint shield of light materialized between her and the arrows. They continued to connect, and with each blow the shield grew weaker and weaker until finally, it vanished along with Ultimecia.

Cosmos looked around frantically, her eyes locking on a black, swirling portal that appeared before her. She tensed, expecting Ultimecia to emerge from it at any moment. Instead, the witch appeared directly behind her and shoved her straight into the portal.

It closed seamlessly behind Cosmos, and Ultimecia smiled coldly. Just the amount of information she needed. She had to tell the Emperor. Another small part of the plan accomplished.

" _And to think, I thought this wouldn't work!_ "


	39. Chapter 39

"What?"

"That's what Cosmos said, Kain," Firion said reluctantly.

"So she lied to us?!"

"It would seem so."

With a cry of anger Kain spun around and launched his lance at the nearest gateway, shattering the supports. The gateway collapsed, causing the glyph to flicker like electricity was shorting through it. He clenched his fists so hard they trembled.

"Selfish . . . The next time I see her . . . " he said in a dangerously threatening tone.

"You wouldn't dare!" Warrior said, interrupting Kain's threat. "You harm her, you harm the rest of us, and by doing so grant Chaos another victory! She is still our goddess! We are still obligated to protect her at all costs!"

"For what, so she can throw US away like garbage?" Rosa asked.

"I think SHE'S harming herself!" Tidus said. "She was willing to reduce her numbers and sacrifice OUR friend because she was too afraid to relinquish some of her power. She was ready to throw AWAY her protectors, like Rosa said! Is she really that selfish? It's not like her power'd be gone forever, right? It's not like it'll _kill_ her, right? How are we supposed to fight for someone like that?"

"Are you _sure_ that's what she said? Maybe you just misunderstood her," Zack said hopefully.

Cosmos blew off Cecil to protect herself? As unfortunate as it sounded, it made sense to Rosa. She looked terrible before. However, it didn't sound like her to blatantly lie, saying she _couldn't_ leave.

"No, that's what she said. My whole image of her and this whole fight has completely changed," Onion added, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "Not only that, but I also feel less inclined to trust her this time around."

"Hahaha! So they finally learned!"

The Emperor appeared in front of them, with Kefka, Exdeath, and Golbez behind him. As soon as Rosa's eyes locked on Golbez she could feel her fear and rage about to boil over. She took a step towards them, knife drawn, but Kain stepped in her path, blocking her way.

"Wait," he said out of the corner of his mouth. "Wait."

Kefka hopped into the air and layer there, lazing around. "Yeeesss, it's about time they learned that their sweet wittwe Cosmos isn't all she's cracked up to be!" he screamed. He threw his head back and cackled.

"What do you mean?" Firion demanded, pulling his sword form the scabbard.

Kain held up his arm, barring Firion's way as well. "Shouldn't there be more? Where is your fifth?" he questioned.

"Ultimecia is . . . indisposed at the moment. You almost missed me, as well. Luckily for you, I decided last-minute to tag along. I could pose the same question to you. Is there not one of _yours_ missing?" the Emperor sneered.

Firion and Rosa both went to charge him, but Kain once more held them at bay.

"Stop it!" he hissed, pushing Firion back. "If you attack, they may never release Cecil!"

The Emperor tossed an unruly piece of gold hair behind his back and replied with another laugh, but it was cut off by the creak of Rosa's bow.

"Where. Is. Cecil?" Rosa asked through her teeth. The Emperor and Rosa locked eyes over an arrow aimed right at his face. His eyes softened for a fraction of a second, and she saw the old, pathetic, groveling Emperor she remembered when they fought. It was only for a moment, but it was there, then he returned to his cold, hard gaze. Did he still feel the same about her? She hoped so, so she could crush him a second time.

"He's DEAD!" shrieked Kefka. A few of Cosmos' warriors let out small sounds of alarm, but Kefka waved his hands. "Oh, I'm just kidding! He's right here! Oh Golbyyyy, bring out the prisoner!"

Golbez summoned a black, crackling portal in front of the Emperor and out stumbled Cecil. His feet his solid ground and he fell to a knee before all the warriors.

"Cecil!" Rosa cried. She lowered her bow in absolute relief. He was safe. He was alright. But when _Cecil_ looked up at her, instead of relief she only saw pain and fear. Trembling, he was trembling. Her own hands started to shake in fury, but she forced herself to smile down at him in an attempt to assure him that he would be ok. " _Oh, Cecil, what have they done to you_?" she asked herself.

The Emperor waved his hand at the warriors. "Hmph! A little birdie told me what Cosmos did to you. As it turns out, Cosmos lied to you on more occasions than this. She's been lying to you since before several cycles ago in this war."

" _Cycles_?" Garnet asked. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, you mean you don't _know_? Cosmos didn't _tell_ you new warriors?" Kefka asked through his giggles. "Emperor, tack _that_ onto the list!"

Rosa missed the last exchange. she was looking from Cecil to the other villains, calculating if or how she could get Cecil away from them.

"Oh, what a shame," the Emperor said with a soft shake of his head. "In fact, I'd be most interested in finding the whole truth of your presence here if I was _you_ lot." He swept his staff from Warrior to Firion, Squall, Bartz, Zidane, Tidus, Onion Knight, Terra, and Cloud.

"What are you TALKING about?" Zidane yelled, his tail flicking angrily side to side. "Cosmos has NEVER lied to us-"

"Before today?" the Emperor finished. "What of before, several _cycles_ ago? You wouldn't remember anyway, as far back as the 12th! She's never HAD to! Your pitiful submission and acceptance of this conflict without question has never required an explanation. And even when it did, you clung to her word as though it was your lifeline. You were just all too eager to take up arms for a goddess who you didn't even know, claiming to be one of Harmony. Really, it is your own fault for not figuring her out sooner. If you want the truth, I suggest you avoid Cosmos before she perverts it further. She clearly isn't willing to give you answers, and I am in a generous mood." He looked directly at Rosa and paused. "If you desire the truth, Firion knows where to find me."

He jerked Cecil to his feet by the cape and shoved him forward into the crowd of Cosmos' warriors. Kain quickly stepped up and steadied Cecil as all of their weapons went back on the defensive.

The Emperor merely chuckled and disappeared with Kefka and Exdeath in tow. Golbez threw a backwards glance to them, then disappeared himself.

Rosa ran over to Cecil as soon as he was gone. "Cecil! Cecil, oh, thank Baron!" She threw her arms around him and held him, her face nestled against his ice cold chest plate. She moved her arms to his waist and drew him in completely, but his embrace was not the warm, tender one she remembered. he was trembling beneath her, and his whole body was cold; his skin and hands were freezing to the touch. She pulled away, glancing hard up at him. "Are you ok?"

"R-Rosa . . . " She felt him shift beneath her embrace and she pulled away completely in confusion. As soon as her arms left him he fell to the side right in front of her. With a gasp she quickly threw her arms across his back to catch him, but his dead weight drug her down with him. She hit the ground with him on top of her in her arms. Rosa quickly muttered a healing spell, and a white light enveloped him. As it faded she gasped in surprise, wiping a tear away from the corner of his eyes, not even realizing that he started crying.

Kain put a hand on her shoulder. "He needs a proper healing, Rosa. Come, let's take him back to Sanctuary."

" _Sanctuary_?" Lightning asked incredulously. "What are you, stupid or something?"

"It's the safest place. Neither manikins nor Chaos' forces will swarm. We're dead in the water here. Here, Rosa," Kain said, outstretching his hand to her.

Instinctually, her mind screamed, " _No! Don't let him go! Don't you lose him_ again, _Rosa Joanna Farrell!_ " But she looked up into the Dragoon's face on Kain's helmet, saw his outstretched hand, and decided to relinquish Cecil to him.

Kain gathered Cecil up from onto of Rosa and hefted him over his shoulder. "We will speak to Cosmos when we return. See if she will not tell us the truth." Kain told the others as he helped Rosa up with Cecil on his shoulder. "If she does not relinquish what the Emperor was speaking of . . . "

"Wait, you're TRUSTING the Emperor?!" Firion cried, striding towards Kain. "He is a tyrant, and a liar, and- and-"

"We know. We understand, Firioin. But who CAN we trust right now?" Tifa asked, adjusting the straps of her suspenders. "Let's talk about it later. Cecil needs help first."

"Yes, let's go," Kain said, leading the way back to Cosmos.


	40. Chapter 40

The portal closed behind Cosmos, and absolute fear set in. She fought through the gripping paralysis to wander around in the blackness for a second; she could feel nothing. No light, no air. Nothing. She was in a sealed vacuum. She decided to sit. Just sit there until she was let out. They couldn't keep her locked here forever. No matter what she would escape with the beginning of a new cycle.

She waited for she didn't know how long. Eventually, a noise like a _whoosh_ reached her in the stillness. The portal opened once more, and she shielded her eyes from the sudden garish light as a force pulled her towards the light against her will.

When her feet hit solid ground she instantly retreated from the figure in the throne.

"Going somewhere, my lady?" he said. A single Thundercrest shock spread up her bare feet. She froze in pain, and the mines of a Dreary Cell rose up around her, closing her in. "I think not."

She closed her fist around a spear of light and jammed it with two hands through the barrer. It pushed back against her with a buzz, ad in invisible shock spread up into her hands. She dropped the spear and rubbed out her fingers and the spear dissolved. She was trapped.

He laughed down at her. "A captured goddess! I daresay I've out planned myself this time, and it has paid off! I just got back from a little visit with your warriors. They're _very_ disappointed in you."

Cosmos closed her eyes and tried to muster what minuscule might she could. She slowly reached out to touch the barrier, to break through it with her magic. But another bolt jumped onto her fingertips and vibrated straight to her heart and brain. Sensation went dead inside of her. She fell back onto her backside, dazed, while her eyes refocused and her fingers stopped clenching involuntarily.

He was still staring down at her, and she could tell he was waiting for her to question him about his plans. She sighed. "You think _you_ made all this happen, sir? You may have won but you shouldn't be so proud. No, you made the _plan_ , and Fate and Ultimecia decided to be kind to you, for whatever reason." If only the former decided to be fickle now. "So now you just kill me, and annihilate my warrior in one blow?"

"Kill you? My dear Cosmos, surely you know me better than that by now! I love schemes. And I love watching them come to fruition! Where is the fun in simply killing you? Maybe before, when the cycles were too evenly matched. But now, with you so weak, there's more room for entertainment."

"Entertai-" Realization hit her. She pushed through the fear and embarrassment and pieced his plan together before his eyes. "You kidnap Cecil to lure them away from me. While the others look for him and I am left unprotected, you have Ultimecia kidnap me as you turn my warriors against me. You hold me here until they return to find me still missing, confirming whatever it is you said to them-"

"Actually, I was going to have Ultimecia impersonate you to them, but why complicate things further? Who would have known you'd be as good a schemer as the rest of us? You were doing so well! Continue, please!"

She looked away instead and said nothing. She just helped him. She would say no more.

"Well, it's even more fun than what you said! I was initially going for Kain. A former traitor, I figured he'd be easy to kidnap and try and turn to our side. Unfortunately, Goblez hesitated. I had to settle for Cecil."

Cosmos snorted. "And you plan on turning him? Good luck."

The Emperor smiled down at her smugly, but whether he was serious or whether it was just for show she couldn't guess. He left her guessing. "Back to your bit! Continue, please!" he said again, waving her forward. She snapped her mouth shut. "No? Shall I finish for you? They're absolutely disillusioned and confused, so they come crawling back to me, where I reveal everything you've ever hidden from them! The cycles to the new warriors, the recalling of the ten from the 13th, everything. Then I'll ship them off back to you, where- well, you'll see, won't you?"

Cosmos tried to keep her face as neutral and fearless as possible, but she knew her eyes were probably wide with terror and dread. He anticipated their reactions perfectly, predicted her and their every move, and they fell right in, to a T. They'd performed flawlessly.

She scrambled for anything to make him falter. "You've miscalculated on ONE count," she said.

His smile fell for a moment, then grew back. "And what is that?"

"My Warrior. When he sees I'm gone without a trace, do you honestly believe his first though would be that I fled? He leads my champions. He'll see that something is amiss, and he will convince the others. They'll come looking. And when they find you . . . " She put as much of a threat as she could into the last sentence, but the Emperor merely laughed. "I suppose we'll see, won't we? Maybe ONE warrior will stand for you. The others, who knows? Especially Cecil. One has to watch the unstable ones."

"So you succeeded?" she asked incredulously.

He disappeared.

With a shudder she relaxed in her trap. Bound to this place to await who knew what. Maybe torture, maybe death. It _plagued_ her not to know where he was going, or what was happening to her warriors, if they were falling into his traps or not. Cosmos thought of everything that had led to this. She supposed in the immediate past she could say it began with her lie. Beyond that, calling the same ten back from their lives. She scoffed. If she only would've taken batter care and concern of her warriors, this would have never happened. This was all her fault. All of it.

She couldn't even wish for just her own destruction and not theirs as recompense. In this world, it was one and the same.

She clasped her hands over her heart, where she was hurt the most, and imagined her Warrior, wherever he was, was feeling the same.

" _Please_ ," she thought, willing him to hear her. " _Please, don't fall for his tricks. Please, be safe . . . "  
_  
" . . . _Please find me."_


	41. Chapter 41

It started with a twinge.

Not a pain, exactly. Just an odd sensation in his chest, like a tic or a twitch. Bothersome, but not alarming yet. Warrior straightened slightly, turning to stare at the Cornelia Plains in the direction of Sanctuary.

"Something is wrong," he noted, signaling for the others to halt behind him.

"Wrong? Wrong how?" Firion asked, striding even with Warrior. He followed the knight's gaze to see nothing out of the ordinary in the immediate distance. "An ambush up ahead? We scouted . . . "

"No . . . "

"Then we're being followed? Though, we checked that as well-"

"No." The clipped, harsh tone alerted everyone to Warrior's concern.

"What, then?"

"I'm not sure." He placed a hand over his heart. "I- I cannot locate Cosmos. It's as though she vanished."

"But that's good, isn't it?" Terra asked. "That means Cosmos left Sanctuary like she said, right? That means she's safe somewhere."

"Not necessarily," Cloud said. "Either she's safe and hiding, or something bad may have-"

"Don't even suggest that!" Zidane yelled. "I'm sure Cosmos is FINE! I can SENSE hot women in peril! And I'm not getting much right now!"

Warrior regarded them with a frown. They were so at ease while he was certain terrible things were transpiring. he cast another wary glance to Sanctuary. "I still feel uneasy."

Kain stepped to the front of the group. "Uneasy? Then may haps we should return quickly. Both for Cecil and Cosmos?" he suggested, hefting the unconscious Cecil back into position over his shoulder for emphasis.

They kept moving at Kain's request, and Rosa cast more Curagas on Cecil as they walked, but no matter how she tried, white magic didn't do much to wake him up, or settle his tremors.

" _This isn't right_ ," she though, staring at him over Kain's shoulder. " _I hope they didn't do anything terrible to him. Whatever they did, it's not physical. He's battling it. This is his fight._ He'll come through," she finished aloud.

At least she hoped.

Several times he lapsed into small feverish fits, muttering delusional, incoherent things about darkness in one minute, still and peaceful the next. She didn't think it possible that they could've tampered with his darkness. He could use it again in this world, true, but she knew his heart always was in the Paladin armor. There was nothing to tamper with. But the way he was acting now, it was as if he was fighting it.

They had to get back to Cosmos. Soon. She would be able to help. She had to help.

"Ng! Cecil?" Kain grunted, staggering as Cecil weakly began struggling over his shoulder. Kain stopped and layer him down and Rosa ran over, kneeling over him.

He tossed and turned as though suffering from a nightmare. Rosa could see the light reflecting off of his pale, sweaty face. "Cecil?" She put her hands lightly on his chest plate and gently shook him. "Cecil! Wake up! Can you hear me?"

He shoved her hands away but kept his eyes closed. "N-No! . . . Never have me! . . . Dark . . . STOP!" His heavy breathing accented his cry.

Rosa draped the back of her hand across his forehead and cheek and felt he had a fever. She hoped these were just ravings. She shook him again to try and wake him. "Cecil!" She tried another Curage. The green, healing light engulfed him and he fussed more, tossing and turning harder until the spell faded, and he relaxed slightly.

"W-white magic hurts him?" she asked incredulously. "Cecil! He won't wake!" she yelled to the others. They all stood around awkwardly, unsure of what to do. She brushed his wet, slicked, silver hair from his face and caressed his blistering cheek. He recoiled like his touch was poisonous.

"B-Back! Not . . . me, no!"

Rosa tried again, more gently. "Cecil? Cecil, open your eyes! It's me! It's Rosa! Please . . . " Her voice cracked. She hated seeing him like this. " _Come on, Cecil. You must fight this_!"

She felt movement beside her and looked to find Bartz and Garnet kneeling next to her. He touched her arm. "Together," he said. "Maybe he just needs a more powerful spell?"

"But, he . . . "

"It may hurt him, but it may be what he needs," Garnet said.

She nodded, and together they cast, with Bartz mimicking her every move, from the whispering of the spell to the way her hand moved to cast while Garnet whispered her own healing words.

Cecil cried out in pain when the light surrounded him. His back arched off the ground in pain and his body clenched and jerked like it was Thundaga they cast on him and not Curaga. Black armor started to bleed through the white armor in small puddles, his Dark Knight threatening to break through. Rosa's hand instinctually shot out and grabbed Cecil's and a tear slid down her cheek from watching him in such pain. He nearly broke a finger or two from clenching her hand so tightly but she held on, unwilling to let his hand go.

The spell faded after an eternity, and he relaxed, exhausted.

"S . . . Stop . . . please . . . " he pleaded to either them or his imaginary foes. She couldn't tell which.

"He's been contaminated by darkness" Warrior said. he turned to the group of warriors still standing around watching. "Any ideas?"

Most shook their heads in genuine shock. The only sound from any of them was a little hiccup from Terra who was ready to cry herself.

"Wait!" Vaan ran over, quickly surveying the scene. His face lit up. "I have an idea!"

Kain looked up curiously. "Not words we hear often from our young Vaan. What say you?"

"I know what to do!"

Rosa looked up at him sharply as well. "You do?"

"Yeah! S'cuse me, Rosa," he said, nudging her out of the way. When she was clear he straddled Cecil, peering down into his face, his own nose only a foot from Cecil's. They all stared in wonder at Vaan, who was staring down at Cecil. Cecil must have felt someone over him; he pressed himself ingot eh ground as far as he could go and turned away from Vaan.

"Well? Vaan, _do_ something!" Tidus shouted, hopping from foot to foot.

"I'm looking, I'm looking! These things take time!"

"What things?" Rosa asked irritably. "You've been standing over him for two minutes!"

"Yup! Sizing him up! For an old Dalmascan remedy! A good slap'll wake him right up!" He pulled his hand back. Before the others could stop him, he slapped Cecil hard, across the face.

Cecil jerked awake with a gasp, looking around frantically until his eyes focus on the face directly above his. "Vaan?"

"Cecil!" Rosa cried. She shoved Vaan out of the way to lean over him herself. "Are you alright?"

"F-fine," he said hesitantly. "What happened?"

"You were unconscious, and- and-"

"Where am I?" he asked, wiping a hand across his forehead. He stared at the moist sweat on his hands. "Where am I?" he asked again.

"Melmond. Cecil. What happened? Are you alright?"

"Never better," he said dully, almost sarcastically. She could tell he was deeply bothered, but didn't want to say it in front of everyone.

She cast another Curage, and to her relief he relaxed beneath her magic. He gently rubbed his cheek and looked around the warriors to the distance like they were being followed.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Are you _sure_ you're alright?-"

"Fine. We should get back to Sanctuary," he said, pointing down the path to the Cornelia Plains. "Did Vaan slap me?"


	42. Chapter 42

The others followed the Emperor to his throne, but Golbez just couldn't bring himself to face even them. He felt dirty, despicable, deplorable.

Responsibility was never an easy burden for him to bear, and every time he thought of Cecil's face, contorted in pain, the flare of betrayal in his eyes . . . the knowledge and guilt that _he'd_ been the one to cause that pain made his heart drop into his stomach, and made his knees weak.

The moon in the Lunar Subterraine did little to console him. He brought about the ruin and destruction to a group of people he didn't even know. His quaking legs finally seized, and he collapsed at the top of a pillar.

He betrayed him. The only person he KNEW he should trust, and who he remembered he wanted so desperately to trust him.

Cecil.

His stomach did a little flip with his heart still inside, and he was sure he was going to be sick.

He couldn't live like this. Couldn't exist with the knowledge that he would be responsible for all that would transpire with Cecil. But he couldn't remove control. With Chaos' hand in Cecil's mental game, he ruined that hope. Chaos probably rooted the darkness so deep . . . He'd jeopardized Cecil for his own benefit. And for the chance the Emperor _wouldn't_ kill him anyway? He played the role of black-mailed fool so well he even convinced himself for a while, there.

He had to relieve the crushing pressure in his chest-

 _He fought with all his might, but Zemus' influence was too strong. Flashes of memories of images of all the things he'd ever tried to hide in his life flashed before his eyes: the time he failed to heal his father, who died right there in his arms, stealing the bread and running from the Guard right after his mother died, his baby brother crying and crying incessantly, like he knew what they had lost . . . the anger he felt towards that baby. HE killed their mother. It was HIS fault_.

Golbez tried to pull away from his own anger he felt, but the memory sucked him back in.

 _HIS fault they were on their own now. He thought of killing the child-  
_  
 _His anger was not his own, he realized. He could feel the subtle traces of another in his mind, a foreign power, the thoughts repulsing him. And yet, the guilt was relieved every time he blamed the child. Someone else to pin their circumstance on tricked the pain away, took the salt out of his tears.  
_  
 _But he couldn't bring himself to listen to the voice. he just couldn't do the unthinkable. He picked up the crying bundle and peered into face. The unmistakable fair, pale-eyed look of their father. The sharp nosed, round face of their mother. He just couldn't.  
_  
 _And then Zemus started speaking to him_ -

He shot back into conscious thought with a start. He looked around, confused, until he remembered where he was, how old he was again.

He pulled off his helmet and wiped a cold sweat from his forehead. He remembered. Zemus began controlling him right then. He threatened him with other visions: him sea, his baby brother dead if he resisted . . . he had to comply. He would wrest control here and there, but after a while, Zemus broke down all his defenses, unwound him. Forced him to bend.

But no more. He would not be used by anyone anymore, he decided. His will was his own, his power his own. He would set things right. Only then could he say he did all he could.

He had to warn Cosmos.


	43. Chapter 43

A part of Ultimecia _hoped_ this wouldn't work.

Then she could get out of there quickly, and go destroy the Emperor like she wanted to do when she first laid eyes on him.

The other part of her was strangely exhilarated by the whole thing. She'd be sitting, literally, in the middle of a room full of Cosmos' warriors, sitting directly in the midst of her mortal enemy, Squall, waiting to see if he or any of them recognized her.

Just imagine if they didn't

But, she could hope that they did. Oh, the vengeance she would bring down on the Emperor. Such a fury and hatred that Chaos himself would be impressed. How she hated him. Besides, the plan was taking _far_ too long. They still had to coordinate the switch-back. She'd ridden the band wagon for long enough. Time for her to step up.

Ultimecia tried her best to mask the dark aura of her power with a false one of feeble light. When she was satisfied, she felt it safe to enter Sanctuary. She lifted the white dress to keep it from the water and took a step into the clear crystal pool. Instead of walking atop the water like Cosmos and her minions did, her foot sunk into the inch-deep water. The façade that surrounded her foot was washed away instantly like cheap paint. She quickly pulled her foot form the water, frowning at the purple and black tattoos that stuck out garishly against all of the white.

" _It figures Cosmos would imbue the water with her power to wash away deception."  
_  
It had to be an older trick. Cosmos was too weak now to do something like this.

Perfect. Another threat to her safety, aside form the 20-or-so people who want to kill her.

She lifted her false white gown again and crossed the pond quickly to Cosmos' throne. She reached the small step around the seat with a sigh of relief, but when she looked, her tattoos were visible up to her knees. She laid the dress properly, pulling it down to cover her feet.

She hated being Cosmos.

Her arms kept getting tangled int he shawl, and every time she inclined her head downward more than ten degrees, her vision was blocked by a gold wall of curls.

" _How does Cosmos deal with all this_ hair?" she thought, brushing it behind her shoulder for the hundredth time. " _And the boredom?_ "

Cosmos sat there almost as much as Chaos, leaving all of the gritty fighting to them. Though, Ultimecia would have it no other way, she supposed. She'd rather the gods be bored than herself.

Only she was bored _now_. And she couldn't move from the throne.

Nothing to do but wait.

She hoped she wouldn't go mad.

20 minutes now.

She pulled another lock of Cosmos' hair straight up and froze time on it to style it like the others. When she was sure the piece held she checked her reflection in the water. She almost had Cloud's spikes.

Just about fed up, she was ready to just move time forward a little. Who cared how it messed up the Emperor? So what if he couldn't account for a little bit of time?

She had just begun to daydream about how it _would_ mess up the Emperor when the sound of rushing air behind her made her jump. Her first thought was that it was him, come to check on her. She quickly let Cosmos' hair cascade in a yellow waterfall around her, jamming the tiara on her head, turning as she did so. But it was Golbez that appeared and ran forward, faster than she'd ever seen him move, helmet off.

"C-Cosmos!" he said. He looked around frantically, checking if he'd been followed. Cosmos, please, I came to warn you- ah!" he said, kneeling before her. "Forgive me. I am Golbez, of Chaos' side. But if you could put allegiances aside for a moment and hear me now, I beg of you, please do so. You're walking into a trap! The Emperor is setting you both up. You, and your warriors!"

He looked pleadingly up into her face. When Ultimecia didn't respond and just glared at him, his face curled up in confusion. "Cosmos?"

With a tinkling laugh, Ultimecia wiped away the façade. "Not even close."

She watched his eyes widen in surprise, and to her delight, he abruptly straightened up and grabbed his cape to teleport. She sprang into action, a Time spell already spilling from her lips. Her arm got tangled in the shawl, and she ripped it free and cast just as Golbez spun to disappear.

He was a half-second too late. Time froze on him in mid-teleportation, leaving him half-substantial, half-disappeared in mid-air. He flickered in and out of focus, still trying to escape, but her spell anchored him where he was.

"Well, well, well," she drawled slowly, circling Golbez. "What have we here? A _traitor_!" She couldn't keep the sadistic smile from crawling up her cheeks. How lucky for her that she caught him!

She grabbed a hold of his cape, a part of him still solid in the world, and yanked him back through from his teleport. "And a repeat offender!" she continued. "What an unexpected surprise! _Tsk-tsk-tsk!_ It's a _good_ thing _I_ was here and not Cosmos! Why, you'd have ruined _everything!_ Going to apologize and warn Cosmos about what you did, hm? About Cecil? Was the guilt too much for you to bear? Wait until the Emperor hears about _this!"  
_  
This was the first time she ever saw him without his helmet on, and she had to admit, she had a wonderful view! His eyes were crazed and chalk-full of terror, stuck between getting away and realizing he'd been caught. He had blue eyes, like his brother, only his were more on the purple end of blue than Cecil's royal blue. The trade-marked silver Harvey hair was straight and thick like Cecil's, and even the shape of their face was generally the same; the higher cheekbones and perfectly full cheeks connected into a sharp chin the exact same way.

She could see the resemblance.

Wait til she showed the Emperor she caught him. Maybe he'd have Cecil kill Golbez! That'd be a delight. She reached into the frozen circle of time and drew her claws down his chest plate with an ear-piercing shriek. His eyes squinted in a cringe and she laughed.

"Oh, yes, wait til I show the Emperor. But what to do with you until then?" She looked off into the immeasurable distance of Sanctuary and hoped she had time. She assumed she did. She shook out her wings to disappear, but a voice stopped her.

"Going somewhere? I _hope_ you weren't going to . . . what word do the commoners use . . . 'renege' . . . on our plans."

The Emperor couldn't have had better timing. When he appeared, she stepped to the side and gestured to Golbez for him to see. His face fell in genuine shock.

"Golbez?"

"He tried to warn 'Cosmos' about our plans. Imagine his shock when he warned me, instead. I think I can give you a good idea," she said. She cupped his chin and forced his face towards the Emperor. "Isn't that right?"

"And what a stroke of luck! I just came to abort our little mission!"

"What? Why?" she asked, admittedly a bit disappointed. After all this excitement, she was anxious for more.

"It has become extraneous. They'll see Cosmos gone when they return and be prompted alone to depart once more to come speak to me. We've no need to complicate this plan any further."

Ultimecia crossed her arms and pondered his words. He probably _was_ right. How he and the insight to predict them so perfectly was beyond her. Still, it wouldn't hurt to be sure . . .

"How about we add a little flavor? Make them _see_ 'Cosmos'? Let them get closer, see a silhouette, and when they get here . . . "

"Aaah," he said. "Brilliant. You'll handle this, then?"

"Yes. You can put _him_ with _her_. He can warn her there."

The Emperor grabbed the front collar of Golbez's huge chest pilate. At his nod, she released the Stop spell and the Emperor disappeared with him.

She made sure she was back on the pedestal before restoring Cosmos' image.

She hoped this would work.


	44. Chapter 44

"Cecil?" she asked again. "Are you okay?"

"Hm? O-of course," he said again, just as distantly as before.

That was their ritual: her asking if he was alright, and him giving the same feathery answer. He was never totally focused, always staring off and having to be brought back to awareness. She knew that Golbez had probably done something awful, and he was thinking about it.

She only wished he'd talk to her.

She let go of his hand, but periodically glanced up into his face. Right then his eyes were, for the most part, alert, but she could see him slowly drifting off. She was about to ask him if he was still alright when Firion stopped in front of her suddenly.

"We'll rest here for a moment. We need a plan," he said.

Warrior shook his head. "No. We've stopped long enough on the way here. And there need be no plan. Cosmos will have nothing to hide. All we need to do is trust her."

Light huffed, "Didn't you hear what the Emperor SAID? There's still stuff she's keeping from us!"

"And you would trust the words of a follower of discord?" The other warriors got ominously silent, looking back and forth between Lightning and Warrior.

"I trust who I want, and who I think is right! I've been played for a fool by too many gods to trust them anymore."

"This is Cosmos you're referring to!"

"Yeah? Well lately she hasn't been acting very harmoniously, has she? Her track record rules in the Emperor's favor, doesn't it?"

"Uuuh, guys?" Tidus interrupted, breaking the growing tension. "Look." They all followed the direction of his pointing to see Cecil, already in the Cornelia Plains and slowly striding to Sanctuary.

"Cecil? Cecil, where are you going?" Rosa yelled. She ran after him, Kain immediately behind her. She ran up behind Cecil and grabbed his hand. "Cecil?" She pulled his hand back towards the group of warriors. "Cecil, we stopped back there! Where are you going?"

"To Sanctuary. We have to hurry back to Sanctuary," he said matter-of-factly like it was the most simple thing in the world. He didn't break stride, just pulled her along as she pulled him the other way.

"Well yes, but- Cecil? Hello? I said we stopped back there! What's the matter with you?" she asked, digging her heels into the sandy ground. She looked up into his face and faltered; his eyes stared blankly up at Sanctuary's pillar, glassed over and dead. Rosa ran around him and stopped directly in front of him to look closer, putting her hands on his chest plate to stop him, but he kept walking into her, staring directly over her at Sanctuary. She back-pedaled to stay in front of him. "What's wrong? What's up there?"

"Back to Sanctuary . . . " he said. Rosa almost tripped backwards and stepped away from him to maintain her balance. She sighed, exasperated. "What have they done to you? Why won't you speak to me?" she said, slapping his chest plate as he went past her.

She tried to push him back on more time in an attempt to provide some small amour of resistance. He continued toward Sanctuary like a magnet.

"Kain, help me!" Rosa called over Cecil's shoulder.

He ran over and wrapped his lance around Cecil's chest and pulled back, grabbing the edge of the lance on either side of Cecil and holding him back. But Cecil fought like a man possessed, trying to shake Kain, never breaking his gaze from their destination.

Rosa could only watch Cecil fight before she was burdened with a thought. A memory of when Kain was controlled by Golbez, when he attacked in the cave and stole the crystal. He was distant; aware, but seemly deep in thought and unresponsive.

What if Golbez had control over Cecil?

She couldn't bear to see him like this if he did.

"Cecil, please cease this," she said quietly to him. He didn't comply. Finally, she had enough. She angrily sprinted around to the front of him and slid her staff from her back, jabbing the bottom roughly into his chest, enough to stagger him. "STOP!" she screamed.

He jerked like he was slapped, stopping mid-stride and looking down at her.

"Hm? What is it, Rose?" he asked, perfectly calmly.

She could only blink up at him. "Wh-wha . . . What the heck was that? What happened?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "We're on our way back to Sanctuary, are we not? We have to get back there, to talk to Cosmos, no?"

"Well yes, but we stopped all the way back there. We were trying to come up with a plan, not just barge in, but you just kept walking! We called you, but you didn't stop!"

" . . . " He turned back and looked to the other warriors, then back to her, mouth opening and closing. She could see him trying to account for what happened, frowning the TINIEST bit, and he blinked hard. "O-of course," he said finally. "Kain, what are you doing?"

Kain released him with a small step back.

"Come on, then Rosa," he said. He took her hand with one last cock of his head, and started to pull her back to the others.

She pulled her hand from his. "No, Cecil! I want answers! What did Golbez do to you? You've been acting strangely ever since he gave you back to us! Just tell me what happened! Is he controlling you?"

"I . . . I don't . . . know, exactly, Rosa. I remember Golbez capturing me, then it's a blur after that. But I feel fine, Rosa. Come," he said, taking her hand again. She let him lead her back to the group giving a sidelong glance to Kain. He shrugged lightly and walked behind them to the other warriors.

"Eeeeh, you ok, Cecil?" Tidus asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Absolutely," he said brightly.

"What happened back there?"

"Oh, nothing, I just really want to return to Sanctuary. And to Cosmos," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Firion asked, stepping towards him.

His face fell slightly, a flare of anger momentarily showing through his face. "Fine," he said, uncharacteristically tersely. He stared hard at Firion until he looked away. "Thank you."

"Cecil, there's something wrong," Rosa said, tugging his hand. "Please tell me-"

"No, nothing! Nothing is wrong, Rosa! How many times must I say it?" he yelled, ripping his hand from hers. Kain stepped up to put himself between him and her, but Cecil turned away to Warrior. "Now, are we going to go to Sanctuary, or sit here and plot like Chaos warriors?"

"No," Warrior said quickly. "We are not plotting. We are leaving. I can see her brilliance up there already," he said, pointing to a feeble radiance slightly more gold than the shining white platform. "She's waiting for us."

"You sure?" Squall asked pointedly. "Or did she never leave in the first place?"

"Of course she left! We watched her go!" Bartz said.

"She could've come back after we left" Cloud added.

"OR maybe she's just ready to give us some answers, and is waiting for us," Light said irritably. "We'll never know til we ask her. Let's go."


	45. Chapter 45

There. Ultimecia was sure they saw her. That Warrior pointed. She was safe to go.

She wiped away the fake glow with a wave of her hand and shook out her crow wings.

Oh, how fun this would be to watch.

* * *

The Emperor shoved Golbez through the wall of the Dreary Cell, and he grunted in pain from the shock as he passed through. Almost immediately his thoughts scrambled and he collapsed, continuing to clench and twitch until the charge dissipated. He relaxed with the last of it, blinking through the muddled signals in his brain. When his eyes refocused, the beautiful, flawless goddess that he remembered when he took Cecil, the gold hair, the white gown that looked to be made of everything light, was over him. It was her. The light around her face was os rich and pure that just being in her presence calmed him. She smiled sympathetically.

"C-Cosmos?" he asked, touching her arm. She nodded. "B-but _how_? Shouldn't you be . . . Are you really her?" he asked skeptically. But he knew it was her from her very essence, even without her next nod.

"I am Cosmos, the Goddess of Harmony."

"Harmony . . . " he said distantly. His thoughts were still a little cloudy, but that sounded nice. He could still understand her truth and serenity. It only made his confession hurt all the more.

With sudden clarity he said," Y-you'll have to forgive me." That was what he wanted to say, he remembered. "I don't know if you recall, but I am the one who . . . " He swallowed. " . . . who took . . . "

"Who took Cecil?" she said. But there was no anger or accusation in her voice, no emotion.

"Yes. I am-"

"Golbez, warrior of Chaos. Cecil's brother."

"You know me?"

"Of course. You're aware of the cycle, yes?" At his nod she continued, "In past cycles you were an ally. A bearer of knowledge and strategic advances, as well as, once or twice, the savior of a number of my warriors. Including Rosa."k

"Was I? Was I that much of a contribution? My memories were Purged, and I cannot remember."

"You were. You were an immense help to us."

That information should have put him at ease, but it only made him feel worse for betraying them. For being duped by those three into harming them. If anything, they added crashing waves to the storm raging in his heart.

She must have read his face. She lightly touched his arm. "I know that you only took Cecil because of them. I know you didn't know any better because of your memories. But you released him, and without harm. I could feel it soon after I was captured. I could feel Cecil's essence again, and I could feel he was with the other warriors. I assumed you failed, and let him go. The Emperor's reactions seemed to say the same as well. He tried to keep me guessing. But I think I know. I forgive you."

"No, that is not all!" he protested. Each word he uttered made his cheeks hotter and hotter with embarrassment and shame.

"It doesn't matter. You've done so much for us in the past, helped us so much, I-"

"I'll take _that_ as your confession, Golbez," an all-too familiar voice echoed.

Golbez broke Cosmos' gaze to look around. Outside the trap the whole vast room was a dull purple. There were shards and clusters of incredibly sharp crystals littering the area. And there was a throne. A purple throne.

 _The Emperor's throne_.

He shot to an upright position with a gasp. "N-no!"

"Oh, yes," the Emperor purred. He cycled the trap slowly. "You've been caught. And now, we have enough information for us to absolutely destroy you without Chaos' scrutiny. But not before you both get to watch the chaos ensue on your side! Especially you, Golbez. After all, you're the one who caused this in the first place!"

"What?" Cosmos asked.

"I- I'm sorry. I went to warn you, but-"

"Ah ah! Don't jump ahead! Tell her the rest of _Cecil's_ story, Golbez-"

"What don't I know? He's _safe,_ isn't he? What have you done?" she said to him.

"I . . . please forgive me. He threatened me. Blackmailed me. He said he would kill the two of them if I failed. I couldn't gain control over Cecil, as you know. I was too weak, and his light was too strong. So I . . . "

"Go on, tell her, Golbez!" the Emperor sneered.

"I . . . I took him to Chaos."

"What?" She looked absolutely horrified. Golbez looked away.

"Chaos used his power to awaken Cecil's darkness. But because I could not do it on my own, as soon as Chaos withdrew, Cecil's mind became unstable. I . . . he's not used to it, yet."

"You took Cecil before Chaos? And allowed his darkness to be influenced by Chaos? You let Cecil be the tool in his plans?"

"It couldn't be more perfect!" the Emperor said. "And _that's_ when we let him go! So now he's milling about with all your do-gooders, doing who knows what? Oh, but we couldn't do it without you, Golbez! Cecil is a rock, a strong point, a leader in your ranks. If one like him were to turn on you, who is to say someone like Firion won't? Or the more easily swayed Terra? The Onion Knight? Face it, Cosmos. To stop this now, _especially_ with all your credibility shattered, you'll have to start ALL over again to quell _this_ rebellion. And Golbez is the reason behind everything!"

"I- I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. I thought I was helping Cecil by keeping him alive. I was a fool."

"I'm . . . I'm not upset with you, Golbez," she all but whispered. "I know why you did it. You thought to . . . save him once more. I thank you for that."

Golbez opened his moth, snapped it shut, and opened it again. She wasn't upset in the _slightest_? _HOW_ could she be so forgiving? Her pardon was unfulfilling to him; he was so upset with himself, so frustrated, so irritated, so disconcerted, so . . . so . . . He WANTED her to be mad. He DESERVED for her to be mad! And she pardoned him!

The Emperor narrowed his eyes. "Hmph! Not the reaction either of us were expecting. But no matter. It's almost time for the big show. Kuja would be proud of it."

Ultimecia appeared, staring straight at Cosmos while she addressed the Emperor. "They saw me. Pretty soon they'll get up there and realize that Cosmos is hiding from them."

"Excellent. Take these two and his them somewhere. But leave _her_ untouched. She needs to be presentable to her warriors."

"Don't mind if I do."

The Emperor removed the confining spell, and Ultimecia held them in a stop spell to transport them to her castle.

"Wait!" he shouted suddenly. "On second thought, let's bring them both. I've got something else in mind for the two of them. Meet me at Order's Sanctuary. But stay invisible," he told her. "We'll get a front row seat of her warriors' turmoil, and I want her to watch!"

Ultimecia grabbed Golbez and disappeared with a grin, and the Emperor grabbed a fistful of Cosmos' hair. He hauled her up and gripped her chin, staring straight into her crystalline blue eyes. "We're going on a field trip. If you know what's good for you," he said in a low, threatening voice, "AND your warriors, you'll do everything that I say."

She turned her head and ripped her chin free. "And if I do not?" she asked evenly, in a defeated tone.

He laughed dismissively at her meager defiance. "Than I'll have to KILL you, and watch them fade into oblivion! Their immediate destruction at your hands and a Chaos victory, or prolong their life for a little while longer. I don't care. Either way it is your choice."

"Prolong? You'll find some creative end for them anyway that they'll manage to weasel out of. But I do seem to be hoodwinked. Very well."

"I thought you'd choose option B," he said. He gripped her wrist and held her tightly, then took her to Order's Sanctuary.


	46. Chapter 46

The closer they got to Sanctuary, the more worried Warrior seemed to get.

The more worried Warrior seemed to get, the more nervous the whole rest of the group became.

Rosa could see him trying to hid the subtle traces of anxiousness that he constantly tried to relax: the new furrow his eyebrows took on, the ever-increasing frown, the way his fists clenched and unclenched when he looked to Cosmos' throne, far off in the distance.

She wasn't certain if the others picked up on his nervous tics, but she was certain they were there. And tensions built with each new layer.

Warrior was their leader. Whether it was said out loud or not, he was. His very presence displayed precise control; he could take charge of a room just by walking in. He could efficiently command 19 people without trouble, because he knew what to do, and he issued instructions with such confidence he convinced them all of his way. Not in a tyrannical way, but a confident, assured way. It felt odd disobeying him even when his tasks became meticulous: proper fire-extinguishing and camp-breaking so they left hardly a trace, patrols and scouts watching down to a rock that looked out of place.

And yet, he was unraveling.

They all were, just because he was. They all were jittery, anxious, the closer they got. After a few more minutes of walking, Warrior stopped.

"I cannot feel Cosmos here anymore!" he yelled so suddenly that some of them jumped. "I have not been able to sense her for some time after we spotted her! This has never happened before. She should be the strongest presence I feel!"

His outburst was met with a thick silence, but none made an attempt to explain. Nobody could. Rosa scanned everyone's faces, looking for some hint of any understanding in anyone's visage. But everyone sat in the same near palpable silence. When the tension felt like it was about to snap, Vaan stepped up.

"You know, she could be waiting for us to _get_ there! Yeah! Don't worry!"

Warrior stared disbelievingly at Vaan. "Something is wrong. _Something._ And this sluggish pace is tearing at me! Do NONE of you feel it? Do NONE of you sense something amiss?! If we get there, and something's happened . . . "

Rosa couldn't tell if that was a threat, or a sound of despair, because she could hear traces of both. He WANTED to threaten them, to push them forward, but he HAD to be cautious if he wanted to keep everyone safe.

Cecil slipped his arm from Rosa's, where it had stayed since his last bad episode. He went over to Warrior and put a hand on his shoulder. "What exactly are you feeling?" he said with so much concern it made Rosa's heart swell. "If Cosmos is in peril, then yes, we've much need to make haste. If you are uneasy about Cosmos, then we need to hurry back, but proceed further with caution. If you are just generally uneasy, with no direct link to her, then we need only proceed with caution from here on forward."

"I . . . It is linked to Cosmos."

"Tell us, friend."

"Before, a while ago, right after I first sensed Cosmos was gone, it felt like she was being suppressed. It faded slowly, but with an urgency, like she was scared. I assumed it was her lack of power that caused me to lose her, or that it was my mistake and she was fine. I _forced_ myself to think she was fine, I suppose. I was too scared to think otherwise. I got a surge of unease while you were still unconscious, but I could do nothing while we were held down with you." Warrior looked at Cecil apologetically. Cecil nodded, unoffended, and he continued, "But then we saw her. I saw her, and it quelled all of my storms apart form one: I still couldn't sense her. He light was her own, and yet . . . "

Cecil nodded, and gripped Warrior's shoulder tightly. "Then we should hurry. I, too, feel we should be hurrying back to Sanctuary. I think we all do. Besides, Warrior, it could be as Vaan said. She could just be waiting for us to reach the throne."

Warrior raises his eyes to Cecil's, and the reassurance made the fog of doubt disappear in his own. He sighed, and stood up a bit straighter, nodding to the others. "Yes We shall hurry back to Cosmos."

They all turned and followed at his pace, a light jog, but Rosa still slipped in beside Cecil and gripped the hem of his cape where it covered his shoulder. He looked at her questioning and she smiled, careful not to make him angry. "Just so I don't lose you again," she said. He smiled, and she puffed a sigh of relief through her cheeks. "I think Warrior needed that reassurance," she told him. "He seems more comfortable now. That was very kind, what you did for him." She added near silently under her breath, "Maybe you're back to normal."

"Back to normal from what?" he asked. She nearly stumbled. She couldn't believe he heard her! When she looked up into his face he returned her gaze innocently, but for a second- not even, a fleeting fraction of a _fraction_ of a second- she thought she saw a glint of something more in his eye. Like he knew something obvious that she overlooked. She inspected closer, but whatever she had seen, if there had been anything there at all, was gone. She gripped the hem of his cape a little tighter.

"Nothing," she assured him. "Just thinking out loud."

They maintained their easy pace all the way to about a half mile, Rosa guessed, outside of Sanctuary. Suddenly, Warrior started and broke into an all-out sprint.

"I can sense her again!" he yelled her over his shoulder. "She's there! Come, we haven't much time to lose!"

The rest sprinted after him, and they quickly came upon Sanctuary's border. Warrior broke through, and his excited new face dropped instantly.

Cosmos wasn't there.

"Comos? Cosmos, we're here! Where are you?"

Silence. Not even the water dared to make a lap in the stillness.

"Cosmos!" he yelled, running to her throne. "I . . . I don't understand! She should be here! I- she- . . . I _sensed_ her! I felt her presence! I feel it now! She's here!"

"But she's not showing herself?" Firion asked hesitantly. He spun in a slow circle, scanning all of Sanctuary. "Cosmos!" he yelled more forcefully.

Cecil looked the most visibly confused. "I . . . thought . . . I don't understand . . . I thought she'd be here! She was supposed to be here!"

"She IS here!" Light yelled. "We can TELL she's here! She just doesn't wanna come out and face us! _Tch!_ She picked an EXCELLENT time to be a coward-"

"Cosmos is NOT a coward!" Warrior yelled.

"Then WHY won't she show herself?!" Lightning yelled back. "Why show up, so we KNOW she's here, then chicken out? She's hiding on purpose!"

"Yeah, this doesn't make sense," Tidus added. He put down his blitzball for better emphasis. "Look, we were all _here_." He put his finger on a spot in the air. "Sanctuary. Cecil got nabbed." His other finger on his other hand drifted away to another spot. "So we followed Cecil, and Cosmos left." His pinkie became Cosmos, who separated the opposite way of his pointer finger. "We got Cecil." His two pointer fingers connected. "But when we went back to Cosmos, she's gone?" He scratched his head. "Wait, I'm confused. Lemme start over-"

"No!" they all said at once. The awkward silence that followed echoed with their voices.

"Come on, guy. Don't you think you're being a LITTLE too hard on her? What if something happened to her?" Zidane said, scratching the back of his head. "She could be in trouble right now! And we're sitting here arguing!"

"Then why is her _presence_ here, where we all can _sense_ it?" Onion said.

No one had an answer for him.

Laguna spoke up next, "Look, ok, so this looks bad! No amour of reason will change that. But I think the SAFE thing to do would be to give her the benefit of the doubt! If she IS in trouble-"

"Then we should go after her! Why show up for the performance, then chicken out? Cosmos doesn't strike me as the kind of woman who gets stage fright," Zidane finished.

A collection of "yeahs" rang out, but a loud snort from Squall cut everyone off. "Fine. But where do we look for her? She's here. So we leave to look for her? That's stupid."

"We'd be going in circles!" Tidus agreed. "And plus, you're all talking about her like she's not listening somewhere!"

"That's the thing- we don't know that she _is_!" Tifa said. "This could be some kind of trick. There's nothing to disprove either of our theories. The thing to do would be to test them! And how do we do that if we don't look for her?"

"Right," Firion said, nodding to Warrior. "Let's look for her, first. This is a trick of some sort."

Zack shrugged. "A trick? Not a trick? Whatever. If someone's in trouble, I'm here to help."

Rosa watched the whole exchange, unwilling to take sides. She couldn't decide for herself which she thought to be the case: Cosmos hiding, or a trick of some sort, and her in trouble. Evidence pointed to the former, but it was all circumstantial. On the other hand, Warrior was CLEARLY distressed, and he had the closest link to the goddess out of all of them.

Still, though, something wasn't right. Something beyond Cosmos being there or not. Between Golbez, Cecil's behavior, Kefka, Ultimecia, Exdeath, and the Emperor's lack of movement or action, and Cosmos' anomaly, something didn't sit well. The pieces didn't fit. There was no link there. No connection. She felt all over again like a lost puppy, stumbling blindly through a fog of ignorance and doubt. Only instead of blurry memories making up the fog it was a plan well beyond any of their knowledge. _Someone_ out there on the other side knew what they were doing. Whether it was the Emperor, Ultimecia, maybe even Chaos himself, there was no way of knowing.

She was about to voice her concern just as they all (some a bit grudgingly) turned their backs to the throne to start searching. But a sharp, powerful tug on her hand nearly wrenched her arm from the socket.

"Cecil!" she cried angrily, spinning to face him. As soon as she did, however, her anger left her.

His one hand was pressed to his temple. The other began squeezing her hand so hard she felt the bones in her wrist gnash together. She cried out, pulled her hand as hard as she could, but his grip was too tight. Tears sprang to her eyes and she shut them tight, bracing for the pain that would come if he broke her hand. Suddenly, the pressure released and she was free. She staggered back, cradling her hand against her chest, and watched Cecil press her other hand to his temple.

"I- . . . I don't understand!" he yelled, doubling over. "C-Cosmos . . . where IS she?" he cried out, staggering back. Dark orbs began to pool around his fists and he screamed again. He straightened up with a gasp and shifted to Dark Knight. He paced angrily. "She SHOULD be here! The coward!"

"Uuuh, YEAH, Cecil, we already es-TABLISHED that!" Light said snidely.

"She's HIDING. She's hiding from us!" His fists clenched so hard they shook. He called his spear to his hands.

"Glad you're caught up-" Zidane said lightly as something of a joke.

Cecil spun and in one smooth motion launched his dark spear at Zidane. He dove to the side just in time, his tail avoiding near impalement. He glared at Cecil. "What the HELL, man?!"

"She need found," he said simply. "Now. We must find her, the coward, and-"

"And do WHAT, hot shot?" Laguna yelled. "What would you do? Attack her? Cuz you've got 18 people right here who'll NOT let that happen!"

"Why are you so upset?" Bartz asked, putting his hands up, palm out in a calming gesture. "This isn't like you. We're all mad too, Cecil. But we're gonna find her! Calm down, ok? Let's take it easy, now-"

"Because she was sup-POSED to be here form the START! She SHOULD have been waiting for when we got back!"

"Yeah, we KNOW, Cecil!" Zidane yelled irritably.

"No, you don't understand! He said-" Cecil cut off abruptly.

"Who said? Was it Golbez? Cecil?" Rosa prodded.

His hands went to his temples again, and he said in a voice tight with pain, "Sh- she's hiding from us! Too cowardly to face us! I'll find her," he warned in between ragged breaths. "And she'll not be happy when I do!" He pushed past all of them and began walking to the edge of Sanctuary.

"What? What did Golbez tell you? Cecil!" Rosa chased after him. He kept on strolling. She thought he was going to leave Sanctuary, but he stopped right on the edge to pace angrily. Watching him tear back and forth in a way that was so uncharacteristic of him it reminded her of something. She watched him, willing it to come back to her-

There! She saw it! Right before her first battle ever in this realm, the Emperor had paced exactly the same way.

The Emperor.

She ran to the center of the group. "Keep your eye on him," she said to Kain as she passed. Then she addressed the whole crowd. "Do any of you remember what the Emperor said? Right before he returned Cecil to us?"

"I remember," Firion said. "He said that if Cosmos failed to give us answers then he would." He saw the look on her face. "You think we should talk to the Emperor?!" he asked incredulously.

"Absolutely not!" Warrior yelled.

"But this is exactly what he said would happen!" she argued.

"That's probably because he PLANNED it himself! Did you ever think of that?" Firion asked her. "That's the way he WORKS! HE is probably keeping Cosmos from us! It makes sense now! HE'S trying to lure us to him, straight into a trap!"

To be honest, as soon as she thought of him herself, it had crossed her mind. But no matter how they looked at it, or who they guessed was right, ALL of the pieces still didn't fit. Cecil didn't fit at all. The light they saw from the distance, she wasn't sure that any of the warrior of Chaos could replicate it. What's more, Warrior would have sensed a fiend of Chaos. The fact that he hadn't, and still didn't, was an extremely large clue.

And the biggest clue, she noticed, was the warriors' presences here now. If Cosmos was being injured or killed, they'd have disappeared.

When she voiced her opinion, Firion shook his head. "Does it MATTER if the Emperor planned any of it or not anyway? The point is is that it IS a set-up! I can't believe you're actually considering trusting not only his actions, but also his words! You, of all people . . . " He didn't need to finish. She hadn't forgotten what the Emperor did to her, and her glare told him that. He looked away.

She softened her gaze after a moment. "Listen, what other choice eco we have?"

"We could go after Cosmos!" Warrior said. "I thought that was what we decided already!"

She played her trump card. "I also think maybe he could help Cecil."

They all sat in pensive silence. Each had its own risks. If they went after Cosmos, where would they even look if she was hiding? If she was injured, they still don't know where to look. If she was captured, it wasn't likely, but then what? Beg her captors to let her go? And if they trust the Emperor, they could walk into a trap.

"Cecil is the only tie to all of this, and he's not in his right mind. Maybe, with a clear head, he could help us make sense of all of this. You owe it to him," she guilted them. "Maybe . . . _Maybe this is exactly what they're planning_ ," she finished to herself.

"Then let's ask HIM!" Bartz said, clapping his hands together. "Yeah! He'll be the decider of what we do!"

"But he's CRAZY-" Zidane yelled. Bartz held up his hand to silence him.

"Now, it's HIS decision, so no arguing after he picks, ok?" He looked at everyone in the crowd to close the matter. Rosa held her breath, expecting another objection, but they all seemed to respect the fact that it should be Cecil's decision. Bartz looked to her and raised an eyebrow and she nodded her permission to him.

"Heeey! Cecil! Ceeeecil!"

"Hold on, I'll ask him," Rosa said. "So far it seems that I'm the only one that can bring him back."

"You, and a good slap," Vaan added.

"Well, yes, but I think both he and I would prefer that his face remain intact, hm?" she countered. She strode hesitantly over to Cecil, still pacing angrily, muttering incoherently to himself. She put herself right in his path and calmly called, "Cecil? Cecil!" Just as he did before, he roughly shoved past her like he didn't see her. She staggered back, and Kain angrily strode past her to apprehend him, but she grabbed his arm. "Wait, Kain," she said simply.

Rosa followed behind Cecil's angry pace. "Cecil, please, listen to me! Listen to my voice. It's Rosa! Don't you know me?-"

He froze, his right foot in front of his left. She relaxed, thinking she got through to him. "Cecil? Are you alright?" Her steps towards him made small splashed in the water that were unusually loud. She glanced back at Kain and the others. All of them were staring wide-eyed at their exchange. She continued hesitantly and reached out for his shoulder. "Cecil, we-"

He whipped around and she jumped back, landing heavily and off-balanced. She couldn't recover as his arm drew and back and he hurled his spear right for her chest. She screamed and braced for the deadly pain that she knew would come when the spear struck her.

But instead of a spear, a hand pressed to the top of her sternum and shoved her back. She was thrown on her back, and when she somersaulted to her feet, Kain stood between her and Cecil. He spun his lance to his left hand and put it back at the ready, while Cecil's spear lay harmlessly off to one side.

Cecil's heavy, ragged breaths gradually subsided to light panting. "R-Rosa?" he asked hesitantly, squinting at her like she were fuzzy before his eyes. He suddenly cried out and collapsed in the next instant, trembling violently. Rosa could only watch as he screamed, arching his back and shoulders against another spasm, rolling onto his side and tossing back again while the darkness melted and dripped off his armor again. Gradually, painfully, the white faded through like a light house amidst the storm clouds. As the darkness deteriorated, it hissed int he water of Sanctuary, then dissolved into nothing, until Cecil lay still, clad in his Paladin armor once more.

She got up on shaky knees and stumbled over to him where he lay. She looked into his face and saw tears welling up in his eyes behind the dread and pain and fear.

"Wh . . . what happened?" he asked in a weak, shaky voice. "I heard you cry out, and then I- I . . . where are we?! How did I . . . "

"Shh! It's alright! You're safe, and I'm ok." She tried to sound reassuring, but he shook his head.

"I can't recall before that! I'm scared, Rose."

"I know, Cecil. And we want to help. Listen, I think the Emperor may be able to help you. But it's up t you whether you want to go or not. Whatever you decide is up to you, just, please . . . tell us how to help you."

"H-help?" He looked around, confused.

"Yes. Can we take you to the Emperor?"

He nodded. "He can help," he said.

She nodded back. "Alright."

He relaxed against the water. Without warning, he shot back up and grabbed her arm. "N-no! Rosa! D- don't let me . . . d-don't . . . let me . . . " he trailed off. He fell back to the water, unconscious.

Kain's footsteps clanked up behind her. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine. Just exhausted from all this, I think. Will you carry him?" she asked. He nodded, and pulled Cecil gently up from the ground, hefting him over his shoulder again.

Rosa straightened up and looked to the others. "We're going to see the Emperor."


	47. Chapter 47

Ultimecia was already there with Golbez when the Emperor arrived with Cosmos. She had him frozen with a time spell, his bare face a mask of fear and pain.

As soon as Cosmos' feet touched the water, the Emperor could see the invigorating effect it had on her: she instantly stood a little taller; a bright blue shine returned to her dulled eyes; and her glow surged with a restored brightness. He almost had to shield his eyes. Standing above the water like she was, she looked even taller still. Tall, elegant, her air of power returned, she looked formidable indeed, drawing well above the Emperor's eye level.

But he would not give her that chance. He quickly poked the sharp end of his staff into her back. "Mask us," he said. She ignored the prod, closing her eyes and reveling in some of her returned strength. He formed a sparking ThunderCrest inches from her to threaten her. Cosmos turned calmly, and they glared at each other in silent contest.

"Mask. Us," he enunciated slowly, "or I'll kill you now."

He inched the ThunderCrest closer still, and the threat of rebellion died in her eyes. She clasped her hands together and, with a surge of her power, clouded their own dark auras with her yellow glow.

"Hide us as well, so they can't see us," Ultimecia put in. Cosmos held up her hand. In front of each of them formed what appeared to be a forcefield made of bright energy. The Emperor poked at it experimentally.

"We are invisible from the outside, yes?" he asked her. She nodded in reply. "And that Warrior, he won't be able to catch us?"

"I cannot guarantee that," she said. The Emperor glared at her. He could see in her eyes that she was trying to scare them. She lacked the proper conviction to make it seem like she truly believed what she said.

Ultimecia heard it too. With a growl she shot an arrow at Cosmos. The goddess deflected it in time, but Ultimecia just laughed. "Lies do not become you, my dear, in case you've forgotten," she said. "You'll have to do _much_ better than that. Now, are we invisible to Warrior, or not?"

After a moment of hesitation, Cosmos finally nodded.

"He can't hear us either, can he?" Another shake of her head.

The Emperor sighed contentedly. "Now all we must do is wait." He dispersed the ThunderCrest, but kept his staff pointed at her. "When they come, you'd better not even _blink_ out of turn. If you reveal us, if you do _anything_ to alert them to our presence . . . "

Infuriatingly, she turned away from him mid-threat. His temper flared. He grabbed the two ends of her golden shawls and jerked them together tightly, pinning her arms awkwardly behind her. He pulled her back against him and cupped her chin, roughly turning her face towards him.

"Now is NOT the time to play at defiance! If you value their lives, you WILL do as I command!" He let her chin go to wrap his staff around her middle, pulling it tight against her to hold her close. To the Emperor's delight, and slight relief, she didn't struggle. He glanced over to Ultimecia, and she put a finger to her lips, then her ear, and pointed off to the distance. The Emperor listened keenly, and after a moment of just hearing the lap of the water in Sanctuary, he heard a louder raucous, a few muffled shouts. Indistinct shapes formed on the horizon and came closer and closer rapidly. They were all running towards Sanctuary. He couldn't keep a smile of cold anticipation from his cheeks. This would be fun.

The first to come upon the throne was the Warrior.

"Cosmos? Cosmos, we're here! Where are you?"

The Emperor felt Cosmos tense next to him. She took a quick breath and he barely clasped a hand over her mouth to silence her sound.

"Nice try," he whispered.

"Cosmos!" the Warrior yelled again, running to her throne. "I . . . I don't understand! She should be here! I- she- . . . I _sensed_ her! I felt her presence reappear! I feel it now! She's here!"

"But she's not showing herself?" Firion asked. They watched him spin in a slow circle, his gaze sweeping perfectly over where the Emperor was hidden with Cosmos. "Cosmos!" he yelled. The Emperor chanced another glance at Ultimecia and she nodded approvingly.

Cecil pushed his way to the front of the group with _her_ in tow. "I . . . thought . . . I don't understand! I thought she'd be here! She was _supposed_ to be here!"

The Emperor looked questioningly at Golbez. "Release him," he said to Ultimecia. Golbez collapsed with a sigh of relief when he fell from the time spell, but the Emperor gave him no time to recover.

"What does that mean? Why did he reveal that?"

Golbez looked puzzled as he tried to figure it out. He tried, "You changed the plans on him? We had him ready to come here and encounter Cosmos. You changed that and now he's confused, given his current . . . mental condition, I suppose," he added as an afterthought.

That made sense to the Emperor, and so far it wasn't a problem, so he left it alone. He shrugged, gestured to Ultimecia to restrain Golbez again, and turned back into their conversation.

"Come on, guys," Kuja's tailed rival pitched in, "don't you think you're being a LITTLE too hard on her? What if something happened to her? She could be in trouble right now, and we're sitting her arguing!"

"Irony abounds," the Emperor whispered in Cosmos' ear.

Another warrior . . . the Emperor had to search for the name . . . Laguna, said, "Look, ok, so this looks bad! No amount of reason will change that. But I think the SAFE thing to do would be to give her the benefit of the doubt! If she IS in trouble-"

"Then we should go after her!" Zidane finished. "Why show up for the performance, then chicken out? Cosmos doesn't strike me as the kind of woman who gets stage fright."

A silly analogy. And if only they KNEW! The Emperor smiled knowingly at Ultimecia, then triumphantly at Cosmos. She didn't turn to meet his gaze.

Squall said, "Fine. But where do we look? She's right here. So we leave to look for her? That's stupid."

Ultimecia snorted. " _Always_ the voice of reason," she said snidely.

The Emperor had to contain his laughter. It made him giddy and proud to know he set the whole entire situation up. Cosmos was there, RIGHT there, and they were missing her. Not only that, but they were upset with her! Everything was perfect, just as he planned.

"Right," Firion said. "Let's go look for her first. This is a trick of some sort."

"A trick? Not a trick? Whatever," said a warrior the Emperor had never seen before. He looked like a black-haired Cloud, dressed almost exactly the same way with spiky, unruly hair. "If someone's in trouble, I'm here to help."

Hmm. " _I'll have to keep an eye on him. See if he'll be useful to me_."

Suddenly, without warning, Cecil cried out. He doubled over, pressing the heel of his hand to his temple. The other squeezed _her_ hand so hard she screamed. She tried to weakly pull away, but Cecil held her fast, squeezing her hand like a vice. Finally, he released her and put his other hand to the side of his head.

Cosmos gasped and tried to pull away from the Emperor to go to Cecil on impulse to help, but he grabbed his staff on both sides of her and jerked her back with a growl.

"I . . . I don't understand!" he yelled, doubling over once more with another wave of pain. "C-Cosmos . . . where IS she?! Ngh!" Darkness balled around his fists and he shifted to his other job class so fast it even startled the Emperor.

"What's wrong with him?" Ultimecia asked Golbez. She released him to let him speak, but he just shook his head. Ultimecia smacked him upside the head. "Keep him under control! He could reveal us, acting like that!"

"I . . . I cannot!" Golbez said. "I can't gain strong enough control over him! I cannot calm him. It's too strong-"

Cecil whirled around at a comment Zidane made and hurled his spear at him.

"I cannot bridle his anger," Golbez said again.

This was a disaster! He would certainly reveal them! Even if it was accidental! He looked at Ultimecia and saw a panicked look on her face as well.

"What do we do?" she mouthed to him.

The Emperor swore colorfully. Perfect. Just when he thought it all would work out, _this_ bomb was dropped. Quickly he tried to plot through the snag. An escape route, maybe, or a way to release Cosmos somehow so they could flee-

"Because she was sup-POSED to be here from the START!" Cecil yelled. "She SHOULD have been waiting for when we got BACK!"

"Yeah, we KNOW, Cecil!" Zidane yelled back.

"No, you don't understand!" Cecil said. He paused to take a deep breath, and the Emperor could see the big reveal coming.

He turned to Golbez quickly. "Keep him SILENT! You can at least do that, yes, Golbez?"

He could see the concentration on Golbez's face, raising his palms to Cecil right as he spoke again.

"HE said-" Cecil began. Then he cut off, a confused look crossing his face.

"Who said? Was it Golbez? Cecil?" _she_ asked him.

Cecil put a hand to his temple. His next comment was thin with rage and pain, "Sh-she's hiding from us! Too cowardly to face us! I'll find her. And she'll not be happy when I do!" He parted the crowd and walked far off near the edge of Sanctuary to pace, with _her_ behind him vying for his attention.

It worked. They were still safe. The Emperor released the breath he didn't remember holding, and actually laughed. They got lucky. So, so lucky. So close to having everything ruined, and Fortune favored them.

"A little too close for comfort," said Ultimecia. She grabbed Golbez and hauled him close, trapping him once more in a pocket of frozen time. "But I'll take it. I cannot believe that worked!"

"Nor can I. But it's not over yet. I want to see what they decide."

They watched her and Cecil off in the distance for a bit more, then the Emperor saw her head lift slightly. She suddenly ran back to the group, telling Kain, "Keep an eye on him. Do any of you remember what the Emperor said? Right before he returned Cecil to us?"

"I remember," Firion said. "He said that if Cosmos failed to give us answers than he would." He looked hard at her and added, "You think we should talk to the Emperor?!"

"Absolutely not!" yelled Warrior.

"But this is exactly what he said would happen!" she protested.

"That's probably because he PLANNED it himself!"

The Emperor shared an amused glance with Ultimecia and shrugged. "He's not wrong."

"That's the way he _works!_ HE'S probably keeping Cosmos from us! It makes sense now! HE'S trying to lure us to him, straight into a trap!"

The Emperor saw her withdraw slightly, thinking to herself. "But Cosmos isn't hurt," she tried. "IF she were hurt or destroyed, we'd ALL have felt it. We'd have faded! He'd have gone straight for the kill, right? There's no pint to him just _holding_ onto Cosmos! He couldn't have planned ALL of this!"

The Emperor laughed, a real, hearty laugh. Firion continued, "Does it _matter_ if the Emperor planned any of it or not? The point is that it IS a set-up! I can't believe you're actually considering trusting him! Not only his actions, but also his words! You, of all people . . . "

The Emperor's head snapped ups t the same time as _hers_ , and his jaw fell open. Firion, Mr. Sweet Flowers, actually said that to her? He'd never heard a hurtful look even cross that stupid boy's face! The Emperor began laughing so hard Cosmos squirmed next to him.

"Did Flowerboy just in-SULT her like that?" Ultimecia asked incredulously.

"I . . . I believe he did! This is wonderful!"

"Her face is PRICELESS!"

"Listen, what other choice do we have?" _she_ tried to argue.

"We could go after Cosmos!" Warrior said. "I thought that was what we decided already!"

She looked down. "I also think maybe he can help Cecil . . . Cecil is the only tie to everything, and he's not in his right mind. Maybe, with a clear head, he could help us make sense of all of this. You owe it to him," she said to them Maybe . . . "

"Well then, let's ask HIM! Let's ask Cecil!" Bartz said, clapping his hands together. "Yeah! He'll be the decider of what we do!"

"But he's CRAZY-!" yelled Zidane.

Ultimecia snorted. "You hear that?" she said in Golbez's ear. "They think he's mad! they don't trust him anymore, all because of you."

They watched _her_ run over to Cecil and plant herself right in his path. He just shoved past her, making her stagger. Kain was about to go to her aid, but she stopped him. "Wait, Kain. Cecil, please, listen to me. Listen to my voice. It's Rosa! Don't you know me?"

" _Attack her_ ," the Emperor intoned silently. Cecil's fists trembled with rage and his pacing grew more furious with every word she said. He would snap soon. " _Come on, come on! Attack her! I want to see her pain!_ "

Cecil stopped right where he was like he heard.

"Cecil? Are you alright?" she asked. She started to go towards his back, and reached out to grab his shoulder and spin him around.

All of a sudden he spun on her, startling her. She jumped back and Cecil drew his spear back easily. He launched it right for her. Cosmos gasped, and the Emperor barely remembered to hold her back.

Everything happened in slow motion. This was it. He watched the spear zoom throughout he air towards her. It gleamed brightly in the light, winking at him in his pride as it careened for her. Finally, she'd be made to pay. He looked in to her eyes, he reveled in the fear there and cherished the pain she'd finally feel.

But just before the tip struck her, Kain launched himself in the way so fast the Emperor didn't see him until he straightened up slowly, lance at the ready.

He deflected the spear. He saved her.

"Damn it!" the Emperor yelled so loudly in the silence he thought they heard him. He snapped his mouth shut as a numb sort of terror ebbed down his spine, but everyone saw frozen, watching Cecil. His chest heaved with startled, heavy breaths.

"I've got him," Golbez whispered.

Cecil painfully switched back to Paladin, writhing and screaming, the darkness melting off until he was light again, panting and exhausted.

 _She_ leaned over him, whispering to him.

"What are they saying?" the Emperor asked.

"I don't know," Golbez admitted. "Cecil's mind is weak now. He's not understanding-"

"Make sure he tells her he chooses to come and see me. Then knock him out," the Emperor ordered. "I don't want him revealing anything if he's lucid.

Golbez swallowed, then held his hand up, palm out to Cecil. He clenched his fist.

Cecil must have felt it. He suddenly bolted up, grabbing her arm. In a moment of painful clarity he yelled, "N-no! Rosa! D-don't let me . . . d-don't . . . let me . . . " He never finished. He just fell back into the water.

"Well, this was more entertaining than I _ever_ could have anticipated!" the Emperor said. They watched as she stood and said to everyone, "We're going to see the Emperor."

He chuckled and put a hand on Cosmos' shoulder. "Wouldn't you agree, my dear?" he whispered into the back of her neck. She flinched, squeezing her eyes shut, and a single tear slipped down her cheek. It fell to the water, rippling silently, but before long, the waters were just as still as before. "You see you perfectly this panned out?" he said to her. "You truly couldn't have picked a better time to abandon your warriors when you did! Right after we decided to act and nab that Kain character, you decided to reveal your big lie! You orchestrated this whole thing! I couldn't have asked for anything better from you."

"What do we do now?" Ultimecia asked. True, what to do, what to do?

"Keep Golbez and Cosmos holed up in your tower," he told her. " _I've_ got guests to entertain."


	48. Chapter 48

"Do you think there'll be a trap waiting when we get there?" Onion asked with a forced calmness.

Nobody answered immediately. Firion turned and glared at him, the ice-cold waves of anger coming off him all-too visibly. Onion actually shied away from him, accidentally backing into Rosa. She put her arm around his shoulders and smiled apologetically at him.

"No. He's only a 'Master of Traps'. Why on earth would he have set up a trap?" Firion grumbled.

" _He's been snappy the whole time we've been traveling_ ," Rosa thought irritably. It wasn't like him. But then again, who wouldn't be snappy if one was going to face their mortal enemy with the implications of a temporary, mutual truce? Not that they were planning to team up, no. He just had the information they needed, she reminded herself. It felt like the last piece of the puzzle that would tie everything together. Why they took Cecil and did this to him, why Golbez betrayed them in the first place after all of Cecil and Cosmos' affirmations that he was a friend, _why_ Cosmos would lie . . . He seemed to know all of it. Which meant one of two things: he'd been watching, or he'd been planning. Or both. _Probably_ both.

She needed to know how to save Cecil. She needed to know what to do to save him, win the war, and return home to Baron. To her old life before the war, and to everything and everyone she remembered, everything she left behind: her friends, her people and Kingdom. Where her and Cecil could be together in peace and she wouldn't have to walk on egg-shells any longer, and she wouldn't have to worry about him getting killed, or getting herself killed, or anything.

She looked over to him, where he lay slung over Kain's shoulder like a rag doll. Since they left he didn't so much as twitch. He muttered a few times, and every time she would stop Kain to see if she could talk to him, and maybe coerce him back into consciousness and lucidity. Once when she spoke to him he let out a shuddering sigh, but that was all.

"I still don't know why you decided to _trust_ him!" Firion continued.

"Stay calm, Firion," Warrior told him. "It is understandable that you are on edge, but being so will not improve our station. We are gathering information. We are leaving. That is all. If there is a trap, we fight our way out. We leave. One man cannot handle 19 warriors, even if he brought one or two to help him."

Firion was silent for a long while. Then he said through his teeth, "If he even . . . _twitches_ out of turn, I'll end him, right then and there."

"That's more than fair," Squall said. "So stop whining. It's annoying."

An angry growl of consent from the others quieted Firion.

Kain shifted next to Rosa, and adjusted Cecil over his shoulder with a weary grunt. "Remind me again why we're going all the way east of Mount _Gulg_ to use the Teleport Stone?"

"Be- _cause_!" Tidus said, stepping up to him. He lifted his chin to Cecil and Kain nodded gratefully, gently laying him on the ground so Tidus could lift him. "We didn't want to risk the Teleport Stone just outside of Order's Sanctuary being sabotaged. _Firion_ suspected _that'd_ be part of the Emperor's plaaaan! Ooooh!" Tidus hefted Cecil onto his shoulder with a look of mock terror.

Rosa sighed heavily. "Here comes a fight," she muttered to herself. She wanted to stop it, but she just couldn't even bring herself to get involved to incite peace anymore. She was just too emotionally exhausted to care after the last trip to Order's Sanctuary. She was too drained.

"Well excuse ME if I don't trust the man that burned down my hometown AND most of my world, assumed power as a TYRANT, attacked my friends in THIS realm, among other things, and-"

"Oh, let it GO dude!" Zidane yelled. "Seriously, you're getting on all of our NERVES!"

"Why, because I'm being CAUTIOUS?"

"No, because your voice is annoying the HELL out of me right now! I don't even wanna TALK about the GRUMBLING, or the damned SIDE COMMENTS!"

"Aww, leave him ALONE, Zidane! How would YOU react if it were Kuja? You'd do the EXACT same thing he's doing! Don't even try to deny it! And you're BOTH annoying me, so KNOCK IT OFF!" Bartz shouted.

Bartz never talked to Zidane like that, nor was he the kind of person to become involved in a verbal sparring match with anyone. They all stared at him for a second before Firion recovered from his shock first. "I'm not DOING anything! I don't care WHAT he knows! I wouldn't care if he was the only person on the PLANET who knew my NAME! I wouldn't even care if he knew how to save a friend in peril!" he yelled, gesturing wildly in Cecil's direction.

Rosa bit back a nasty retort. Firion was ready and willing to put his spite before Cecil's life? Not on HER life.

Firion's fire was fueled, and he kept at it, "I'd NEVER trust him. EVER. He's taken EVERYTHING from me-"

"Uuuh, guys?" Vaan began.

"Well, BOOHOO! We've ALL lost things at the hands of the people we face!" Tifa added.

"We're not going to baby you, we want you to SHUT UP!" Light said.

"Hey, guys-"

"You weren't even in-VOLVED, Light!" Firion yelled back.

"Well, your crying's pissing off ALL of us!"

"GUYS, KNOCK IT OFF!" Vaan finally yelled. He summoned his sword to his hand and whipped it around, pointing it at Firion. "Firion, we GET it! You don't trust the man! WE don't either, and you have EVERY right to feel the way you do! BUT!" he said, spinning the sword around to point at everyone else. "That DOESN'T mean he gets to be a baby!" He whirled back around to Firion, and the people nearest him wisely ducked beneath the arc of the weapon. "You explained your position, but we left it up to CECIL, remember? And CECIL disagreed. Ok? You were over-ruled. Get over it! And the REST of you!" More ducks. "Lay off of him! He doesn't deserve that! Now! You can take us TO his throne, since you're leading us there. But if you DON'T wanna go in, you don't HAVE to! How's that?!"

" . . . That's fine-"

"Good! Everyone else good? Yes? Good! Now let's go! Before this drives any more wedges between us! The sooner we get this done, the better!"

The combatants all stared at Vaan like he turned into a Chimera. Rosa gratefully took hold of the orthodox olive branch that was offered. "He's right. Fighting especially won't get us anywhere. What's done is done, so let's see it through. For Cecil's sake."

Firion sighed defeatedly, shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry. Really, I am. It's just . . . you've no idea what he's like."

"I think I've got a good idea," Rosa said, "and we'll be on our guard, and ready. We promise you that."

"It doesn't matter. He _always_ has a trick ready, or an ace up his sleeve. I'll go in with you guys. I won't leave you in there by yourselves." He spun on his heels, weapons clinking, and strode purposefully in the direction of the Snow Fields. They all turned to follow, until Tidus' cry rang out.

"Hey! Wait, guys! I'm not trying to scare anybody or anything, but I think something's wrong with Cecil. He's shaking. Really bad."

He lay Cecil on the ground just as the others gathered around. He immediately tossed and turned fitfully, and his armor clinked softly together with his trembling. Rosa knelt in front of him, noting the dull shine of sweat on his clammy skin. She went to drape her hand across his forehead but Kain's hand stopped hers.

"Wait. What if he attacks again?"

"Seeing as how he's unconscious, Kain, I seriously doubt that he will," she snapped back. She touched the back of her hand to his cheeks and pulled away quickly. "He's feverish," she said, as if it wasn't obvious. "You were under Golbez's control before, Kain. What's happening to him?"

Kain, not expecting the question, flinched and glanced around at the others in embarrassment. Rosa huffed in exasperation and began digging through the communal supplies bag they carried for a cloth she could cool him off with, but she came up empty.

"Here," Garnet said quickly, stepping forward. She reached into one of her white, billowy sleeves and produced a white handkerchief embroidered with lace and the initials ' _G. t. A. XVII_ '. "Use this to dab at his face."

"Your token?" Kain asked, frowning. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Cecil needs it," she said with a secure nod.

Kain nodded back his thanks, taking the cloth and pouring some water from his canteen on it. He handed it to Rosa and she leaned over him to dab at his clammy skin. But as soon as the cold cloth touched his skin he grabbed her arm with a gasp and his eyes fluttered open.

"Rosa," he sighed. He relaxed, but continued to shake. She continued to dab at his face and he allowed her. "A-am I . . . me?" he asked sheepishly. She nodded. A pained look crossed his face despite the reassurance. "Where are we? Where's the Emperor? Did we go see him?"

"No. Not yet. We're going there now. We're just outside of the Elven Snowfields."

"The Snow Fields? Why did we not use the Teleport Stone?" he asked. Tidus shot Firion a smug look, but it went unnoticed. "I . . . I can't remember . . . in and out . . . I . . . " he continued.

"Shhh, it'll be alright. You're here now, with us. You'll be alright, Cecil, I promise." Her words didn't convince herself, let alone him. He looked pleadingly into her eyes, just like he did when he first beseeched her to remember him. She couldn't meet his gaze knowing she couldn't help him. Instead, she clasped his hand in hers to steady its trembling.

"He probably needs rest," Kain said. "He's weak from the struggle. Why don't you cast sleep on him? It may break the fever, and besides, you never know when he'll . . . "

Rosa frowned up at him. "But he's lucid now."

"Any who knows when that'll change?"

"I want this time with him." They were talking about him like he was dying, she realized.

"Rosa, please, just to this for him. And you. I don't want you harmed."

Cecil's eyes widened in fear. "What? I- I wouldn't! N- no. I'm fine! Don't, Rose! I wouldn't hurt you!" He grabbed her wrist over the bruise where he last held her too tightly. "Please, don't." His shaking grew violent as he grew more alarmed, and his chest heaved with his heavy breaths. "I don't want . . . No!"

"Cecil, calm down!" Rosa said. "I won't . . . " He tried to sit up but the effort was too much. He fell weakly back to the ground.

"I- I've been unconscious enough as- is! And it's worse then! Much worse! I'm scared. I can feel him talking to me . . . whispering corruptions and clouding my mind! Golbez!" he cried. He strained to haul himself to his feet, pure hysteria feeding into his strength, and Rosa cried out as he gripped her tender wrist tighter and tighter. Kain rushed forward and held him down as Rosa pulled away.

"Rosa, he's MAD!" he yelled.

"He makes me see things, Rosa! Makes me DO things!"

"These are ravings-"

"They're not, Rosa! I-" he cut off, freezing in place. His eyes widened in fear. "No . . . " he whispered. Then a spasm of pain wracked him. He cried out, fighting to escape Kain in his agony. The darkness began to creep into his armor, like a pestilent plague rotting everything in sight. He tensed again against the attacks, and Kain struggled to hold him down. Warrior and others had to step in and help. They held him down as well, but the darkness wouldn't stop corroding Cecil's white, pearly armor all the way across his chest and shoulders. It reached down his arm, where Kain's hold on him was, and pooled oddly around his hands like a dog sniffing a new scent. Then it moved with more vigor, anxiously melting over Kain's hands and fingers.

Kain jerked back in surprise and pain as the blackness crept up his armor and blackened it all the way to his elbows with a soft hissing. He straightened up quickly, staring at the darkness in a daze. Then he grabbed his forearm and collapsed. His hands flew to his head and he shook it hard and back and forth like he was trying to clear it.

"S- stop!" he yelled. "I'll not let you anymore! Leave me be!" His screams meshed with Cecil's in a cacophony of torment.

"Kain!" Firion yelled.

He grunted and tensed against another wave, writhing with Cecil as the darkness spread on both of them. "No . . . no!" he kept muttering. "I won't!"

Gradually, Kain stopped struggling against the invisible, internal force. He asserted control, staggering to his feet, and the darkness made a hasty retreat, finally disappearing into the palms of his hands without a trace.

He stared at his hands, then stumbled over to Rosa. Before she could even ask him, he stammered, "I- I'm fine." But Rosa saw he didn't move to restrain Cecil again.

Cecil continued to struggle harder, and more came to help until almost the whole group was holding him down in case he changed and attacked, and Rosa noticed the darkness left the rest of them alone.

"Kain, what WAS that?!-" Bartz yelled, but he was cut off by Cecil's scream.

"Rosa, PLEASE!" Firion pleaded. "The darkness will take him! He'll attack you if you don't put him out-" Cecil cried out again.

"It's him or us, Rosa," Kain said nastily.

Rosa could hear his voice quavering, and her eyes flicked from him to Cecil. Either one she picked she felt like she was betraying the other. Cecil's pleads echoed in her mind, pathetic and desperate, but Kain and Firion's voice of reason drowned out Cecil's desperation with their own pleads.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him.

A sleep spell formed on her lips, and the glow on her fingertips seeped into his chest. Almost immediately the darkness began to recede as the magic overpowered his mind, and real sleep pushed aside forced unconsciousness.

"W- wait," he said weakly, tossing and turning doggedly to fight off her strong magic. After all that, he still wanted to remain awake? He grabbed onto her wrist to push her hand away in vain. "I'm sorry. I'm fine now . . . I'm fine . . . Rose, please don't make me sleep. Don't."

The rest of the darkness receded from his armor and his shoulders relaxed. She relented, to keep him barely awake, but Kain shook his head and put her hand back to his chest.

"He's fine now, Kain!" she said angrily.

"No. He's not. I'd rather see him sleeping than walking around like a time bomb."

Something feral snapped inside of her. She was tired of Kain, of Firion, of everyone. She was sick of the Emperor and his schemes, tired of the gods, tired of dealing with Cecil and not knowing how to save him, sick of being there, sick of the WAR.

She pulled back and slapped Kain across whatever exposed skin she could find on his cheek. "Forgive me, Kain, but I can't seem to remember whether or not WE said the same thing about YOU when YOU betrayed us and STOLE THE CRYSTAL!" she snarled back at him. "I don't THINK so! What just HAPPENED to you?! And 'It's HIM or US?' Don't you ever, EVER make me choose between the two of you like that AGAIN!" She snapped her fingers at the first person she saw. Cloud. "You. Carry him. Let's go. I want to have this little chat with the Emperor already!"


	49. Chapter 49

For the hundredth time, Cosmos assumed, Kefka thought it'd be funny to throw chucks of ice at Golbez to pass the time. Ironically enough, Golbez didn't even flinch, which she thought would take away the fun. He just let the shards _ping_ off his armor and face and scatter.

One would think that with no reaction the clown would get bored.

One would be wrong.

Kefka howled again. "Aw MAN! So CLOSE! Don't worry, Golby! I'll get one in your eye eventually!" He kept laughing like it was the most fun he ever had in his life. Cosmos seriously doubted that it was; he probably had more fun the last time he was punched in the face, or threw some poor child down a well. Those seemed like the kinds of activities that would thrill Kefka.

A rock ricocheted off of Golbez's shoulder and stung across Cosmos' cheek. She felt blood well up almost immediately.

"WAAAAHOHOHO-"

"Stop it!" she snapped. "Enough! Leave him be!"

Kefka ignored her. He formed a ball of ice and set it at his feet, retreating several steps.

"KEF-ka PALAZZO dribbling down the right side, wide open NET!" He ran quickly up to the ball. "He SHOOTS!" The each shattered beneath the force of his kick and littered Golbez and Cosmos. "GOOOAAAALLL- Oh, CHAOS, I sound like Jecht's whiny brat!"

He went for another round but Cosmos was ready. She quickly formed a weak shield that flickered as the ice crunched into it. She glared at Kefka as angrily as she could muster, but it lacked effect on him.

"Pshghrt-AAAHAHAHA! Aww, isn't that CUTE! Look, she's pouting!" he whined.

"Leave us alone! You've won! You've got us trapped! Now go and find some other way to entertain yourself instead of bothering us! We've already resigned ourselves to this!" Cosmos yelled.

" . . . No." He rained more ice on them but Cosmos kept her shield strong. "Hey- how are you DOING that, anyway?!" Kefka fumed. "Ulty's little circle-star-of-death-thing SHOULD be draining your magic!"

"Ultimecia is a time witch," Cosmos ventured to guess, "trying to execute strength-oriented magic. I imagined it wouldn't be done well. Like everything else she does," Cosmos uncharacteristically added.

"Oh yeah?" Kefka said, rising to the dig at Ulty. He put his nose an inch from the wall of Ultimecia's attack. "Why don't you try to break out?! GUARANTEE you'll get your brain fried like an EGG! Go 'head! Try!"

" . . . "

"Didn't think so. How bout THIS one!" he yelled, throwing a trail of Thundagas at them. Cosmos' shield shattered with a flash of gold, and Golbez was struck. He fell to a knee and Kefka giggled. "Now, THE BIG ONE!"

Cosmos saw the garish, yellow shine of Kefka's Hyperdrive intensify as he charged it up. He raised his arm but before he could sent it their way a shard of sharp, blue crystal rocketed into Kefka's arm, digging into his fleshy forearm. His spell skittered wildly off-line and crashed into one of the gears.

"What was THAT for?!" he yelled, cradling his arm.

Ultimecia appeared in front of him, crossing her arms. "We need her unbroken if this is to look convincing."

"You hurt my arm!"

Ultimecia's lip poked out in a baby-like pout, then she sneered. "Oh, PLEASE! It'l heal in a few minutes! Grow up, Kefka."

He leered at her and stuck his tongue out, but left to sulk.

"Well, well, well," Ultimecia drawled slowly, circling around Cosmos' trap. "It's close to showtime, Cosmos. What to do, then, to pass _my_ time. I cannot wait to see all their faces. Or yours, when you see their reactions."

Cosmos took a step towards her. "I won't even ask what you're talking about, or planning anymore. But there is one thing I do desire to know: WHY do you work for him?" she questioned honestly. "I don't understand. If you're your own abilities and ambitions, why do you help him achieve his? I don't know what he told you, but I do know one thingL whatever he promised you- power, time compression, a seat next to him- he'll not give any of it to you. They're all empty words. He'll go back on those words faster than you can blink. HE plans on ruling this world, solely. You are integral to his designs, of course-"

"'Integral?' He has me to credit for the whole _thing_! _I_ offered up the information he's now going to use to ruin your warriors!"

Cosmos continued like she wasn't interrupted. "But as soon as he _is_ on top he'll dispose of you, Ultimecia. Like another obstacle, another threat. Mark my words."

"Oh, Cosmos," Ultimecia chided with a small _tsk_! "You think I intend to _let_ him reach the top? Of course not! I help him because he's like a bulldozer for the future I plan to build. He literally levels the playing field, eliminates more than HALF of the people in my way with this little plan. And what's more, THOSE people would try the HARDEST to stop me! So I play his game. I let him think he's in control. He'll let his guard down. And once he does, and once this job is done, I'll have no further use of him. I'll ruin HIM."

"Do you TRULY know what he plans?" Cosmos asked. "Become too focused on your prey, and you'll miss the predator hunting _you_."

"Don't be so cliché. I appreciate your concern, dear, but _you_ needn't worry about me. If not from me he'll get what's coming to him. He's got a LINE of people eager to see him dead."

Cosmos excitedly realized she got Ultimecia talking. She tugged slightly at the chance to keep her going. "Who? Why?" she asked, as if only mildly interested. Ultimecia shrugged like they were having a casual conversation.

"Chaos, first and foremost, me, you, your warriors, specifically Firion, your champion Rosa. Tell ALL of them to get in line. I've an _idea_ on what he plans. His ultimate goal. Something that might even have Chaos concerned."

"Which is?" Cosmos felt like they were gossiping. Well, as long as Ultimecia took the bait, Cosmos would keep her talking.

The witch in question crossed her arms. "Well it should be _obvious_ to those of us who _know_ the workings of the cycle. He wants you and your warriors gone, he wants Chaos' side gone as well as Chaos. He _thinks_ he'll lord over land and cycle. But there's one LITTLE problem in his way." She raised an eyebrow to Cosmos.

She caught on immediately. "Shinryu. He plans to attack and defeat Shinryu."

"Exactly. I don't even know if HE knows that. He was Purified after your 13th cyclic victory, and has since recovered knowledge of the cycle. but of Shinryu, I'm not certain. But I _believe_ that's what he's planning. He'll never _win,_ of course. And this is all my speculation. That may very well not be his plan at all. What we know for sure is you, your warriors, Chaos, and his warriors. But it makes sense, does it not? Then _he_ commands the cycle, all the reincarnated warriors' powers are absorbed into him, and HE grows powerful for all eternity."

"That's impossible. Shinryu has cycles upon cycles of accumulated power. There's not a chance for him."

"I've a thought on _that_ as well. But I'm not about to tell you. It could . . . ruin the integrity of our little plan. At any rate, _I'll_ never let him get that far. Neither would you, or your warriors, am I right? Never you worry your pretty little head. Do you want my opinion, however?"

Cosmos looked up sharply. "You'll give me . . . advice?"

"More like an observation. Something to think about. Next time, it'll be a lot easier to tell warriors who TRUST you to do something for you."

"Warriors who trust me? Are you talking about the Emperor? Is that what he's gone to tell them? To make them believe there're more lies kept from them? They'll forgive me. It's in their nature. Never _you_ worry."

"Hmph! If you say so. More of a shock to you equates to more enjoyment for us. Just bear it in mind."

"Why would they not forgive me?"

She tossed her head back and laughed her bell-like, insubstantial laugh. "You'll see."


	50. Chapter 50

The Emperor felt Firion's presence the moment he set for in the bottom floors of Pandaemonium. He could also feel _her_ presence.

He hated the manikins, and went to efforts to ensure they didn't creep through his palace walls, nor did he have the same monsters that used to prowl in Pandaemonium in its original form, so it wouldn't take them long to reach the top floor, where his throne was. They should have a direct enough path.

He sighed, remembering the times when he had monsters and armies to command. Whole droves of both that used to crawl around his lair for him to order around and, when necessary, push around. All he had now were those indifferent, infernal manikins. They just stared deadly back at him when he told them to do anything. Useless scum.

In his head he quickly went over how he anticipated the succeeding conversation would pan out.

Naturally, Firion and _she_ would come charging in demanding answers, he mused. Kain and Cecil would follow out of her protection, followed by those just itching for a fight: Lightning, probably Squall, Tidus. _She_ would give some cute speech about how wrong he was, and how he should 'make Cecil right again'.

He would, naturally. Or at least PRETEND to. Then he would shatter their entire view of the world. He would blow a hole SO WIDE in the warriors' whole ideas of themselves, their only answer would be retaliation. Against the 'tyrannical' goddess that brought them there in the first place. Cecil would lead the charge on Golbez's order . . . and then . . .

He delightfully tossed his head back and laughed, truly laughed, for the first time in a long time.

And then he would watch them burn.

* * *

"We're here," Firion said. "We've just gotta climb our way to the uppermost floor."

"Should be easy enough!" Laguna said brightly. He squinted and tried to peer into the recesses of the room, shielding his eyes. "There don't seem to be any manikins. And there're no REGULAR enemies here either, I don't think, so we're good! Right?"

Warrior nodded. "From what I can tell, that is correct. The only things we need to be wary of when we enter are traps. We should rest inside. We'll need to be on our highest alert to avoid them as best we can."

Rosa wanted to whine, to plead with him to keep going. But she knew her better judgement was being clouded by her concern and anxiety over Cecil, as mad as she was about admitting it. Warrior was right. It wouldn't do to charge in head-long. They needed to be alert, high-strung, even, for an indefinite amount of time to stay safe, and that was just as taxing as a physical battle.

Not to mention it would definitely add to the crankiness if they didn't rest, especially her own.

She looked to Warrior and nodded her consent, and she could see him calculating the exact same toll that she was. Fatigue mixed with mental strain was not the ideal situation, no matter how pressing an issue seemed.

"Cloud probably needs a break, too," Tifa added. "He's been carrying Cecil this whole time, and . . . well . . . sorry," she added lamely to Rosa.

Rosa let a small, sympathetic smile grace her visage to let Tifa know she didn't take offense. "Of course. Lay him here, and we'll work camp around him.

Not a single person spoke. Not even Bartz and Zidane. Normally the two of them would at least be whispering. But instead all went about their camping rituals in cold, uncomfortable silence. People shot glares left and right to each other when no one helped, and no one would help unless they had to. Rosa purposefully stayed away from then, and as close to Cecil as she possible could while still keeping to her tasks.

Before long, however, Rosa completed all of the jobs that didn't require straying too far from Cecil. Laying out the mats for the tents and other menial things. Despite the roof over their heads, Firion thought it would be safe to still pitch tents. So Rosa occupied herself that way, laing out the thick canvas coverings for the poles a little TOO crisply and pristinely, laying a fir perimeter out of miscellaneous pieces of rock and crystal a little TOO perfectly. She fathered a few extra pieces of crystal and noticed Kain leaning against the wall, away from all of them, frowning at her intently. She ignored his gaze pointedly. He didn't try to speak to her since she slapped him. " _Good_ ," she thought. She still didn't _want_ to speak to him. She wanted him to know that.

She kept him in the corner of her gaze but kept about her business, mostly just ambling around and at least _looking_ like she had a job. She wanted to stay by Cecil, and nobody contested that but she also wanted to feel . . . useful all of a sudden. Not even useful. Just occupied. Probably because of Kain. She wanted something mind-mnumbing to do for a bid. Maybe then she could rest her mind and body and frayed nerves. She need a distraction. Sh could feel a kind of mental fatigue over-taking her because of the recent stress. She needed to forget about Cecil and Kain for a moment and-

Out of the corner of her eye Kain stood from his leaning position on the wall and strode purposefully for her. Ooooh, no he wasn't. She was NOT in the mood. She straightened quickly, looking him full in the face and glaring at him with as much malice as she could gather. He hesitated. Success. She pun around and moved as far as she could from him while keeping both him and Cecil in her sights.

She saw Kain freeze up, deciding what to do. Follow her or let her be? She hoped he chose the latter. She couldn't guarantee that her knife WOULDN'T be in her hand the next time she slapped him- She stopped herself suddenly. She didn't mean that, really, she didn't. The strain was getting to her.

But he chose wisely, backing away from her and everyone and leaning back against the wall. She sighed in relief. She really wasn't looking for confrontation. She just wanted left alone with Cecil.

Rosa went back to the center of camp, where they laid Cecil. For once he was sleeping peacefully, not tossing and turning and fretting like he normally was. Probably because of her magic. Despite Cecil's desperate pleas that squeezed ice around her heart, she kept him asleep the whole time they traveled. How could he be mad? He had to understand that he was a liability, and a danger-

She didn't mean that, either. God, what was wrong with her? Take that back, take that back, _take that back.  
_  
Her spell was probably going to wear off soon, at any rate. She _should_ replace it.

As if on cue, he stirred and his eyes opened.

"R . . . Rosa?"

"How are you feeling?" she asked quickly, leaning over him.

"Fine . . . A bit odd . . . but fine."

Odd didn't bode well. Immediately alarms rang in her ears and head, telling her to replace her spell and keep him subdued. But in his eyes was the bright familiar, lively spark. He was alert and lucid. It was almost like he was normal. She clutched at that normalcy, desperate to keep it that way for some kind of peaceful respite from the craziness.

The alarms screamed that that was childish, and that he would hurt someone. They screamed it in Kain's voice.

Her heart ached to just TALK to him. Have him laugh again. Make him smile. Keep the spark.

He was dangerous-

"Cecil!" Kain said. Rosa jumped and spun around quickly, straightening up and standing as a barrier between him and Cecil.

"Rosa, what are you doing?" he asked. The dragon on his helm bared down at her.

"Kain, what do you THINK I'm doing? I'm TALKING to him!"

Kain snorted indignantly, and her temper flared. "He's FINE!"

"So you say. You shouldn't let him awake for too long. He could attack you."

She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw. "Kain," she said through her teeth, "leave us alone. He'll be fine."

"Rosa, I only care about your safety-"

"MY safety?! She cried incredulously. "Kain, WHO was it that cam ego my aid in the tower of Zot? It CERTAINLY wasn't you!" All the pent up emotions poured out in one concentrated effort, attacking Kain fiercely. "Who helped KIDNAP me in the first place?! WHO rescued me and saved my life from Kefka, Exdeath, and Ultimecia? Cecil and Golbez! Were you there? I don't believe so! WHO did the darkness attach to when we were holding Cecil down? WHO?! Oooh, yes, don't think we forgot about that!" she yelled, empowered by Kain's visible recoil.

All of a sudden she realized why Kain acted so coldly towards her earlier about Cecil. Why he wanted to keep Cecil subdued. Why he acted so coldly _before_ , every time she brought up her memory. It stepped FROM her memory, she realized. WHY he kidnapped her, before, WHY Golbez was able to influence Kain so efficiently in the first place. "You're JEALOUS," she spat at him. He didn't even try to deny it. "You've ALWAYS been jealous of Cecil and I! Jealous that we're in love and happy, jealous of him for being a Paladin, jealous, embarrassed, of EVERYTHING! It's not about ME, it was NEVER about ME! I'm absolutely FED UP! You've frayed my VERY last nerve. And if you think I'm going to let you CHOMP AT THE BIT to keep Cecil out of the picture for as long as possible, you'reCRAZY on top of your MANY OTHER personality flaws!"

Kain looked a bit odd with his jaw hanging open, raw emotion completely uncharacteristic for the Dragoon. Rosa knew she scored a few hundred points. Before she allowed Kain to gather his wits, she fired, "You better not come within 15 feet of us for the rest of the night, or so help me . . . I'll make sure YOU don't wake up!"

He closed his mouth and stared at her. She glared straight back into the red eyes of the Dragon on his helmet. Neither moved for another few seconds. Rosa, finally fed up, pointed tot he edge of camp.

"LEAVE!" she shouted, so loudly and suddenly that he jumped. As soon as he was a safe enough distance away she rubbed her temples to try and rid herself of the splitting headache that snuck up on her.

"Rosa?" Onion began, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"Just . . . leave us be. Both of us. Please."

She sat next to Cecil, who had been silent during her whole outburst. He reached out and clasped her hand in his, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly, but Cecil shook his head.

"I'm glad . . . someone finally stood up for me."

"But you and everyone else didn't have to hear that. He's our friend. I just really embarrassed him."

"True, Rose, true, but . . . someone had the courage to finally say something to him. We've ALL tiptoed and danced around it, including him. Sooner or later, the music and the dance had to stop. I regret the . . . harshness required for it, but he needed a firm hand. Your stress allowed you to finally give him that hand." He said more softly, "I had no idea of his true feelings- he hides them well behind that helm, even from me. I've never seen him respond that way. So shocked. So speechless. If I had to guess, I'd say you hit the nail on the head. How did you know?"

"I didn't, until I started yelling at him. I just put two and two together."

"Hm," he mumbled.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him again, changing the subject.

He nodded to her. "Fine! Perfectly fine." For once he _sounded_ like he was, too. She sighed gratefully and tiredly.

"You've been awake for a while now, and you're ok. Maybe whatever this is . . . is-"

"No, I don't think so. I still feel . . . off. It's as though he knows we're close, so he's allowing me a respite, if that's at all possible. My heart is at peace, but my mind is still tense. I truly believe that. I'll be fine for now, thought," he finished quickly at her worried glance.

He sounded so sure, and she was so desperate for him to be sure that she believed him, pushing down that small, naggy doubt. He searched her face and allowed himself a small, almost shy smile. She met his gaze and smiled back. Almost normalcy.

"You should get some rest," he told her. "You look exhausted. I can't help but blame myself for it. If you weren't doting on me you wouldn't be so taxed."

She shrugged and shook her head, waving away his comment. "It's not your fault."

She moved from kneeling next to him to lying on her side. She flipped over, her back to him, and scooted back until she could feel the warmth of his body and then his chest pressed to her back.

"Wait," he said. She turned over her shoulder and met his stern gaze. "Are you sure you trust me? What if . . . "

She shook her head. "I think you're fine. I think you'll stay that way."

"But, Rosa, what if I-"

She turned away and scooted closer still. "I trust you. I'll always trust you." He froze up at first, unsure in himself. Then she felt him stir, his arm gently draping around her waist. She sighed contentedly. " _This is how we're supposed to be_ ," she thought, closing her eyes. " _Normalcy_."

* * *

The Emperor folded his hands in front of his mouth. " _The calm before the storm._ "


	51. Chapter 51

"Rosa!" She vacantly heard her name. It sounded far away. She really didn't want to pay it any mind, still tired from the day's events.

"ROSA!" Kain yelled more forcefully above other clatter. Metal hitting metal, gunshots, loud and obnoxious.

" _Leave me along_ ," she thought dully, rolling over.

"ROSA WAKE UP, NOW!" Kain yelled.

Her eyes snapped open. She looked around quickly, confused and disoriented, until her eyes and mind could focus. There were manikins everywhere. Her comrades were locked in battle on all sides, fighting two and three and a time. She jumped up and ran to her bow, dodging swings and other people left and right. She slipped the quiver over her head and stuck her foot in the bend of the bow, stringing it in seconds. She started shooting at the nearest crystal figures she could find.

Kain and Cecil were battling a particularly vicious Sephiroth, and were holding their own. Zidane and Vaan were easily handling their copy of Garland. Same with Tifa, Laguna, and Light. She turned instead to Warrior and Terra, backed into a corner by four faux warriors. Warrior stabbed at a Kain copy with his sword, but retreated hastily when his blow was parried. Rosa ran in as fast and she could, drawing and firing two arrows in the blink of an eye. Two exploded into crystal in front of her. When she was close enough to the remaining two she grabbed her knife and leapt, driving it into the heart of the tall, false Exdeath. She shielded her eyes from flying crystal shards and resheathed her knife, leaving Warrior and Terra to finish off the last.

Zack let out a surprised cry behind her and she turned with an arrow already nocked. A pile of crystal sat at their feet, and Zack had a hand pressed to his face above his right eye.

"Zack!" she called.

He met eyes with her and waved her off. "I'm fine, I'm fine! Just a scratch!" He picked his sword back up and ran to go fight another manikin.

All around her people were battling, tackling, and parrying manikins. She spotted each of her friends: Firion, Onion, Squall, battling just fine. She recognized Tidus and Yuna right as the mock Cecil hurled his spear at them. The blow caught Tidus in the stomach and he flew back with a cry, sliding to a jerky stop. Both the Cecil and Kuja copies advanced on Yuna and Ifrit. Kuja threw his orbs at her and she ducked, leaving Ifrit room to swipe over her head and rake both with his massive claws. When they staggered far enough away from Yuna, Rosa drew and shot the Kuja copy. She went to destroy the false Cecil when a blow to her back threw her to the ground. She quickly rolled to her feet and turned to face the manikin, a copy of the Emperor.

" _How ironic_ ," she thought bitterly, raising her bow. The small of her back was already bruising. It hurt to draw but she pulled the string back anyway, gritting her teeth against her stiffening muscles. She glared down the arrow at it.

Yet she couldn't bring herself to shoot right away. An odd feeling of hesitation came over her. Standing in front of him, ready to shoot a killing blow . . . She wanted that vengeance for a long time, since she got here. Cold, angry, and bitter. So it just didn't feel proper to her to shoot and kill the Emperor before her when it wasn't _him._ It seemed like wasted energy to expend all her anger on just a _false_ Emperor and not the real one.

Before she could decide Kain dropped from the sky and stabbed it through its chest from behind for her. She had to shield her face again from shattering crystal, and when she recovered, Kain was glaring at her.

"You cannot STAND there like that, Rosa! Move!" he yelled next, pulling back and hurling his spear past her to strike a manikin. It staggered under the force of the throw, then ran at them to engage. Rosa shot it before it could get any closer, then turned back to Kain.

"I'm fine, thank you," she said snidely, turning away from him. She looked around for anywhere she could lend her bow, but the battle was basically over. Those not fighting were turning to help the last few still doing battle with manikins.

She took quick stock of her comrades. No one seemed seriously injured. Most were just nursing cuts from when the manikins exploded into sharp shards.

Zack waved her over and pointed to the bleeding cut on his head, over his eye. "Got cut by some crystal," he told her. "Some blood's in my eye. You got any Eyedrops?" She nodded and muttered a quick "Cura" before touching the cut. It smoothly and quickly closed, leaving no trace it was ever there. "Thanks," he said, nodding to her. She dug into the item pouch on her belt for the tiny vial of drops he needed and handed it to him, and a cloth. He took it to wipe the rest of the blood from his face, and she left him to make a round, healing people here or there that needed it. She looked around to see if Cecil was alright as well.

He was off by himself, away from everyone else, which was odd for him.

" _He may be having another episode_ ," she told herself. She hesitantly approached him, unwilling to get caught off guard again if he attacked. Immediately she tried to dismiss the thought. "You ok? You weren't injured, were you?"

He shook his head quickly. "No. I'm fine."

"How's your head?" she asked softly, glancing around to see if Kain was anywhere near. He wasn't, and Cecil simply said, "I feel fine."

"Why don't you come back over with the others?"

He hesitated, looking down. "I don't know. I do feel a bit odd," he admitted. "There's a pressure in my head. Maybe because we're so close, I suppose . . . but it's building and building the more time we spend here. I'm afraid I'll lose control again and attack. I'm just worried for everyone else."

"We're leaving soon anyway, Cecil. Everything'll be fine once we go see the Emperor. He'll fix you up."

"Do you truly believe that?" he asked, staring pointedly straight into her eyes.

" _Which part_?" she vaguely asked herself. The Emperor, or the actual fixing? Neither would win many votes of confidence from her. But she could hope. That tiny, minuscule shred of light against the blackness, the oasis in the desert, the rainbow after the storm. _That_ made it sound so idealistic. It _was_ idealistic. But it was there, and she could cling to it if she wanted to, she thought defiantly, trying to shut up the pessimistic nag in her head.

Cecil chuckled miserably and looked away, and she realized with a start that she hadn't answered. It probably came off as a no.

"Neither do I," he said, turning away from her. "I don't know why any of this happened. I don't know why you were called her in the first place. I don't know why Fate decided to pit you against the Emperor due to ONE off-chance encounter. I don't know why Golbez and the Emperor did this to me, or what they have planned for me. I don't even know how we plan on getting him to agree to help me when he made Golbez do it in the first place. What I _do_ know is that whatever it is, we can't let him win. Whatever his endgame is, we cannot let him succeed. We need to protect the balance and safety of this work, and we can't let him have his way and control it. As . . . twisted . . . as this war is, we need to stop him to save others from a terrible fate. There's a lot I don't know. But I do know that he needs to be stopped. I'm ready to stop him. I'm ready to end his schemes and finally just . . . "

"Go home?" she finished for him. he closed his eyes and after a moment nodded. "I just want . . . peace. Whether it's in this world or in Baron I don't care."

Rosa wanted to agree with all of her. But words failed her. He said what she was feeling so perfectly and completely, she felt she would ruin it if she tried to intervene. _"He sounds so determined_ ," she thought. " _I just sound tired. He's truly a wonderful man_."

She went over to him and grabbed his hand, gently spinning him around. She kissed the top of his hand, just below his knuckles and whispered to him, "You are magnificent, Cecil Harvey."

"That and more belong to you, Rosa Joanna Farrell."

She smiled at him. There was that normalcy again that she missed.

Too bad it would only be shattered.


	52. Chapter 52

As soon as they were ready to move they kept going towards the Emperor's throne. Rosa was actually relieved, if she was being honest. It probably meant there wouldn't be any more traps. It also meant they were probably getting closer to ending this whole mess. Probably.

Cecil grew gradually more irritable the closer they got, and started snapping at her every time she tried to talk to him. She decided to let him be alone while they walked, opting instead to tread silently next to Firion. At least the two of them could _silently_ fume together until they got to the Emperor's throne. Wouldn't be too long.

They breezed through most of the Gateways without much trouble, being there were only a few manikins after the ambush. Rosa spared another glance at Cecil. He was glaring at the ground in front of him like it was the cause of all his problems. As if he sensed her emerald green gaze his face shot up and his cold royal blue eye locked with hers. He scowled and made his way as far away from her as possible.

She sighed miserably. Why? _Why_ did this have to happen to _her_? Why was it that the minute after she regained her memory all of this had to happen? She had maybe, what, a _handful_ of times where she was alone with Cecil as a couple. Then she spent more time taking care of him. Why? Why was she even here? Why did Cosmos even choose her? Just one more miserable experience after the other.

Little did they know this was about to top it off.

The crystal walls that were pink at the bottom had gradually faded to a deep, rich, royal blue and violet. She noticed and looked around in awe of their surroundings. It was a shame the Emperor ruled form such a beautiful place.

Firion stopped a good distance from the barrier that would lock them in if a battle did break out. He turned to the others and said softly, "Last chance. We don't have to do this. Cecil, _you_ don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do, Firion. You know I do," he said tersely.

"Rosa?"

She shook her head and instinctually stepped closer to Cecil. She grabbed onto his arm. "We're doing this, Firion," she said with finality.

"This is your last chance to turn back. Once we cross that barrier, we're stuck. Are you sure you wanna play his game?"

"We have to," Rosa said, "for all our sakes, and Cosmos' sake."

Firion stared hard at her for another moment, and Rosa seriously believed that he was going to try and challenge her. But instead he nodded and said, "I admire your resolve," and spun around to press forward.

Rosa heart started to pound, but whether from nerves or anxiousness she couldn't tell. She just hoped the Emperor wouldn't be able to hear it when they met again, face to face. Her fingers started to twitch, imagining the too-familiar motion of drawing and firing the killing shot. She resisted the urge to break into an all-out run and stayed by Cecil, but after a while he ripped his arm from her grasp. She tried not to look too dejected; she wanted the Emperor to SEE the determination she had. She hoped it brought back just a FEW memories he had of their first encounter.

Unconsciously she quickened her pace to compensate for the fluttering in her chest, the running of her heart. The others followed, and as they got closer she could see a figure in the chair, and the garish gold armor associated with him. It stuck out even more harshly against the serene indigo of the room. Each step drew him closer to her, made every detail more defined. She glared straight at him, hoping he saw her leading the pack. She wouldn't be intimidated.

The pounding of her heart flooded through her ears, pulsing in her lungs, her stomach, her sine. Finally they reached the barrier. He had his staff, she noticed, and she quickly had her bow up and drawn before breaking into a run to enter his throne room.

He had his legs crossed, leaning casually in his throne with his chin resting on his fist. His eyes were closed as well, making her feel like she just roused him from a nap to bother him. She shook that thought from her head and stood a little taller. It was just all part of his show. She wouldn't be looked down on. She wouldn't.

"Long time, no see! Though I cannot say I'm _glad_ to see you," he purred. His eyes opened slowly. " . . . Rosa."

She laughed, but it came out tense and tight in her chest. "I hope you weren't under any impressions that we were glad to see _you_ ," she quipped.

"Oh, and FIRION!" he said loudly, carrying on like she hadn't spoken, false enthusiasm dripping thickly like blood from his voice. "How wonderful to see you, too!"

Rosa turned a bit to keep the Emperor in her peripheral and watch the others form a rank on either side of her. She watched Firion draw his sword, comforted by the light _ring_ it made as he pulled it free from the leather thong that tied it to his hip.

"Oh, come now!" the Emperor said, standing quickly and spreading his arms wide. "I'd put that _away_ if I were you." He raised his staff to the same level as Rosa's bow. "Attack me, and this little meeting will, regrettably, be called off. And I cannot say you'll leave in the same condition you entered in."

Rosa didn't break his gaze. "Bold words, coming from the man who met the wrong end of these arrows FIVE TIMES," she said, making no move to lower her bow. "Put down your staff first."

His eyes flared, but he stayed frozen. They continued to challenge each other until he broke his gaze, looking tot he side and barking out a short laugh. "Fine, fine. I'll set this down. I truly have no intention of this turning into anything other than a discussion."

"Oh, sure, we'll just go 'head and trust you!" Bartz said sweetly.

The Emperor sneered, then slowly and deliberately crouched down, gently laying his staff on the ground. When he straightened up, Rosa said evenly, "Kick it away."

"Now that's hardly fair. Either drop _your_ bow now, or we both stay armed."

"You're in no position to lecture us on fairness!" Cecil growled, stepping forward.

"Cecil Harvey!" the Emperor cried as if surprised. "You're looking _well_!"

Cecil snarled through his teeth nd started forward but Kain smacked his spear down with his lance. " _Don't you dare!_ " he warned Cecil in a harsh whisper.

"Yes, I'd listen to your friend. Do you want my assistance, and my information, or not? Honestly, the lack of decency around here is appalling."

Grudgingly, Cecil lowered his spear before letting it fall from his grip.

He's in control of this whole thing, Rosa realized. HE held the bargaining chip. And he knew it. She didn't like it. She had to switch strategies. Brute force or threatening wouldn't work. They had to be smarter than him. Use the same subliminal, undercutting warfare he used.

But it was hard to bridle her anger. "And _why_ should we _need_ your assistance? Just WHY, exactly, is this 'information' so important? I cam eyer to have you help Cecil! Which you will do in TEN SECONDS unless you want an arrow in your EYE!"

He laughed a real, dry, condescending laugh that echoed off the crystal walls. When it died he looked straight into her eyes with a gold fire so hit and alive she had to resist the urge to look away. "You won't kill me."

"Why not?" she replied just as even and deadly.

"Cecil. I'm the only one that can help."

Cecil stepped up. "Well if your refuse, we won't be any worse off than we already are!" he yelled. "Wouldn't hurt us to kill you!"

The Emperor's calm, collected façade slipped for just a _second_ , but it was enough. HE knew they were right.

"I've _nothing_ to lose. _Nothing,_ " Cecil hissed. "So refuse to help if you want. But it's your loss. I'll go on."

The Emperor didn't answer. Rosa suspected haughtily he was too shocked to find that somebody out there in the world would be so selfless, or not be out to save themselves.

"Shoot him." Rosa almost got chills from the ice in Cecil's voice.

The Emperor's face totally fell. With a start he held out his hand and called his staff, pointing it at them just as Rosa pulled back to full draw. All 20 of Cosmos' warriors were alert in an instant, with weapons drawn and ready. His eyes flicked back and forth from one end of the line to the other, sizing up the threat.

" _He's not in control. He's just as uncertain as we are. And he just let it show_ ," she thought.

"There isn o need for this to turn violent," he stammered, swallowing thickly. "All I want is to give you the information I have. And," he added quickly, "help Cecil, of course."

"Why do you _want_ to help Cecil? You did this to him in the first place!" Rosa shouted. "WHAT is your ulterior motive?"

"And WHAT information could you POSSIBLY have that we would value?" Light snapped. "Petty gossip about your _buddies_ doesn't count!"

"Remember when I returned Cecil to you? Around that time, if I recall, you caught Cosmos right in the middle of a lie. Am I correct? I _told_ you she wouldn't be back. I _told_ you she'd be too cowardly to face you. Was I right then, as well?"

Some of Cosmos' warriors averted their gazes or looked down. He nodded enthusiastically, which looked ridiculous with the horns and beads and the snake atop his head.

"I was right, was I not?" She didn't come back to explain herself. Well that's because she's hiding secrets so monumental they would shock you!"

"Like what?" Rosa challenged. "There couldn't POSSIBLY be anything more that could shock me! I was just ruling Baron as its queen before all this happened. Then out of SOME cruel twist of fate, some goddess in some foreign UNIVERSE pulls me out of my life to come fight for some world that isn't even mine! She wiped my memory to do it, and I don't even remember my HUSBAND! MY FIRST DAY there I get involved in the biggest grudge match of my existence! It takes me weeks and weeks to remember my own HUSBAND! Then as soon as I do, you and your friends decide it'd be a WONDERFUL time to kidnap him and screw him up so badly HE doesn't even remember ME half the time! I'm being forced to confront the man RESPONSIBLE and maintain some poor, pathetic, pitiful FRAGMENT of self-control so I don't destroy him RIGHT NOW before I get what I came her for! So please, PLEASE! I'm honestly BEGGING you! PLEASE MAKE MY DAY!" she screamed.

Cecil and Kain's jaws dropped open sometime during her outburst. In fact, almost everyone's did. She didn't even care. For the all the frustration, the tension, the _anger_ she put up with for the whole time she was called, she had a right to just finally unload.

The Emperor just smiled a knowing, coy, almost playful smile. His eyes flared and lit up with a sort of anticipation that makes someone shake with anxiousness. He pointed to Cecil and beckoned him forward. He hesitated, glancing back at Rosa. She nodded and said evenly over her bow, "We'll cover you. IF he tries anything."

Cecil gave her one last small. pathetic failure of a reassuring smile, then slowly stepped forward. The Emperor stepped down from his throne, meeting Cecil in the middle.

He SLOWLY tipped his staff forward to touch it to Cecil's chest. Rosa flinched and Kain started forward, but Cecil halted them. "Stop!" he yelled. "Don't move!"

What if he was lying? What if he hurt Cecil? Suddenly this whole plan turned into a bad idea in an instant, and her tension immediately doubled.

"Are you ready? This is going to hurt a bit," he warned Cecil. He took a deep breath and nodded.

The tip started to glow, globby and purple, and the glow enveloped Cecil. As they watched, little spots and random globs of darkness began surfacing on his Paladin armor, like the glow was a magnet, drawing it away from deep within him. Once the specks reached the surface they ran to the front of him and were absorbed into the tip of the Emperor's staff like rain.

The only sign of discomfort Cecil made was a sharp intake of breath, and clenching of his fists. But then the darkness started to fight back. Bigger drops and spots started to form and try to cling to each other to envelop Cecil and change him again. He grunted in pain and doubled over but the Emperor grabbed the rim of his chest plate and held him there, standing, to the tip of his weapon.

No one dared move, no one dared to breathe while the darkness seemed to just seep into the Emperor's staff. Little by little Cecil relaxed, and stood up of his own volition just as the glow faded around him.

The Emperor lowered his staff and nodded to him. "Better?"

"Better," Cecil said breathlessly, unable to mask the relief in his voice.

"Both of you, back away slowly," Rosa said, still to cautious to rejoice yet. He slowly put down his staff for the second time, and sat back in his chair, crossing his legs.

"Now," he said heartily. "Wait until you hear _this._ "


	53. Chapter 53

"Most of you are aware, though some of you newer warriors may not be, of the nature of this war. The veterans know, more than likely. For you new ones, or for the unobservant, I will enlighten you. But I'll have to start from the beginning of this world's time."

Rosa saw a few warriors shift nervously out of the corner of her eye. Warrior, Kain, Cecil- even Cecil knows something about this? Their fidgeting and the glow of pride in the Emperor's eyes made a cold chill race down her spine and numb her to her fingertips and toes. She was scared of whatever was about to come out of his mouth.

"The reason for the memory loss when you were first called is because of the cyclic nature of this war. Cosmos called you to combat Chaos. She probably told you it was out of _protection_ of this world. That was a lie, too. It was just a false call to arms to give you _purpose_ to fight. Why would you NOT have a purpose, you ask? Because there is no such thing as destruction, OR peace in this world." He paused for dramatic effect.

"Wh . . . what does that mean?" Vivi's tiny voice called.

"Aha! THAT'S the question I was waiting for. The truth is, is that-"

"How does this have any effect on our situation?" Cecil interrupted, his eyes subconsciously flicking from the Emperor to Rosa. Rosa opened her mouth but the Emperor voiced her though.

"And WHY are you avoiding this? Patience, Cecil. I take it you haven't told your wife about this little predicament. Didn't want her to lose hope, hm?"

Cecil paled. "Well . . . well, no, I-"

"Well it's about time she knew. She was bound to find out anyway, and how she hasn't yet is beyond me. She's a smart woman."

"Find out WHAT?" she asked irritably.

"Nothing-" Cecil began.

"Ooooh, I hardly think it's nothing. In fact, it's the driving force of this whole war! As warriors you should now that the _point_ if this fight isn't good versus evil, Cosmos versus Chaos, like you believe it is. It's not protection if Cosmos triumphs, and it's not destruction if Chaos is victorious. In fact, Cosmos and Chaos don't EVER physically fight anymore, as they used to. The point of this war is power, not supremacy. And the REAL one IN power is the dragon, Shinryu. Bartz, if your memories are in tact, I believe Shinryu originated from the Rift Exdeath created in your world. A nasty opponent too, according to Exdeath.

"Shinryu found a way to escape the confines of the Rift prison, vowing to never be detained again. He CREATED an entire new universe: the universe we now stand in. Some unimportant things happened," he explained with a dismissing wave of his hand, "which led to the creation of Cosmos and Chaos. It was the perfect opportunity for Shinryu. He struck a deal with Cid of the Lufaine, creator of the gods. In exchange or an eternal source and flow of power, Cid would gain eternal life.

"The source of power to Shinryu was the clash of Cosmos and Chaos. The loser would have a bit of their power drained by Shinryu, then he would revive them so that it could begin again, and he could gain more power from the next loser."

"Wait, WHAT?" yelled Zidane, shaking his golden hair and ponytail roughly. "That's not right!"

"That CAN'T be right!" Bartz said. "COSMOS and CHAOS are the gods! Cosmos RULES the good half, and-"

The Emperor stood. "That understanding of this world is so base and ridiculously idiotic it's no WONDER she manipulated you! Now, LISTEN, and COMPREHEND what I'm telling you. That's the point of me divulging this information! As I was saying, the revival, however, could not be done without _more_ sacrifice than a bit of power. So as a result, the loser's memories were purged. When they woke up, EVERYTHING was gone. Everything but the singular task of fighting. It was the only thing left to do for the gods."

"What of the victor?" Rosa choked out, her dry, shaking voice betraying her shock. She didn't want to hear the answer. She knew it.

"In the beginning, when it was just the two divine powers fighting, they survived. Their memory and power intact, to await the revival of the loser. THEN. IT. REPEATS," he enunciated slowly.

" _No_ ," Rosa whispered. It clicked. Cosmos didn't want the eternal drain of her power. That was why . . . to be her . . . her sacrifices. Her heart took a nosedive into her stomach. Her spine went cold. Icy shock had grabbed it and wouldn't let go. She turned her horrified gaze to Cecil. His eyes flicked to hers then instantly looked down, ashamed. She turned to look at the others. Only a few looked as horrified as she did- Bartz, Onion, Zack, Garnet, Vivi.

"Quickly, the gods realized their fate," the Emperor affirmed. "They realized that they were being taken advantage of- forever pouring their surprisingly limited, and dwindling power into another being. Fighting for no reason. It was Chaos' idea, so he's told me, that they call people to fight FOR them. Leave THEM to suffer the fate they were too cowardly to face. From each of the worlds Shinryu smashed together to make this hellhole, one was called for each side. I'm told the first for Chaos was Garland, who has survived and been next to Chaos ever since. The first for Cosmos? Who knows? Their name, their face, their life, their history, washed away by time and losses. However, _you_ are a special warrior," he said, nodding down to Warrior and pointing to him with his staff.

"Me?" he asked.

The Emperor nodded. "You actually embody the man who made the bet with Shinryu. That's why, win or lose, your name refuses to come back to you. As the cycles went on, the gods realized they STILL lost power, though not as much as before, as when they were directly Purified. Their warriors were receiving the Purges, and the warriors gave the power to Shinryu while the gods just lost a bit of power to Shinryu."

Ros felt the pieces fit together in her head. The _basic_ questions that had been danced around for the longest time: the WHY'S and the HOW'S.

 _And she hated it_.

"What happened when a warrior has nothing left to give?"

"Can you not figure it out? They die," he told her cooly. He smiled, his grin oozing arrogance and malice. "That's it, take it in, Rosa," he said to her, sickly sweet.

She lowered her gown and could do nothing but stare in shock, asking over and over, " _What? WHAT? I can never go home? Am I forced to fight til I die here?_ "

"Speaking of dying," the Emperor said scanning Tifa, Yuna, Kain, Laguna, Vaan, and Lightning, "this is where you six come in. The 12th cycle was a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE loss because of the manikin infestation fighting for Chaos. You six sacrificed yourselves to stop the manikins and even the odds. You succeeded, but at the cost of your lives. The rest of you were Purified by your traitorous Dragon friend here."

" _WHAT_?" yelled Onion. "You BETRAYED us?!"

"And Cosmos approved!" the Emperor shouted, turning their attention back to Cosmos. "Your bodies perished, you were banished to the Rift. She's the reason you six died for a war that wasn't yours, and she's the reason you're here now! She brought you back to fight HERE in this war! She interrupted your eternal slumber with the power of the crystals she loaned you."

Rosa had missed all of that, still hung up on, " _I can't go home? I can't ever see Baron again? My friends and family_?"

Suddenly Rosa flushed with anger. She felt betrayed. By Cosmos for calling her. And by Cecil for keeping it from her. "You KNEW all of this about the cycles?!" she said, turning towards Cecil and Kain. "You BOTH knew this and NEITHER of you told me?! Why? WHY would you keep something like this from me?!"

"I . . . I don't know, I . . . thought I was protecting you-" Cecil stammered.

"From WHAT? There's no PROTECTION from this! The fact that I am HERE meant I couldn't leave from the start!"

"I didn't want to upset you any more than you already were-"

"How many cycles had you seen before I got there? You knew almost everything about me right away! you must have survived a lot of cycles to keep all your memories! HOW many?!"

" . . . Rose, that's not important-"

"HOW MANY?!"

"A lot," he finally relented. "I hadn't been Purified since I first woke up here, a few cycles before you. I don't know numbers."

"And STILL you didn't tell me there was NO way for us to go home? You just LET me walk around OBLIVIOUS? Clinging to this false hope like a CHILD clinging to their parent? WHY?"

"Because _I_ still had hope too, Rosa! _I_ was clinging to the hope that some day there'd be a WAY home! I never meant to LIE to you!"

"Oh, but there WAS a way home, around the 13th cycle!" the Emperor interjected.

That got a start of surprise from ALL the warriors, and Cecil paled. "What did you say?"

"NONE of you would remember this, of course. Cosmos gave each of you a shard of her power in the form of a crystal. She felt guilty when the cycles upon cycles of bloodshed caught up to her. She grew to know you, like you, appreciate you and your service. It guilted her, what she did to people like you. So she granted you the crystal on the condition that you WON. Luckily for you, you did, and the crystals transported you home!"

"We went . . . home?" Terra whispered.

" . . . Back to our worlds? Our HOMES? Our friends and our families?!" Firion said.

"Yes, yes, and yes," the Emperor checked off. "You were, quite literally, home free! Both gods were defeated, and you WENT HOME. Get it? Six of you were free of the cycle by death, the ten that remained disappeared!"

"Th- . . . then how . . . " Cecil said. Rosa could tell he was just as shocked as she was now.

"How are you here? Think: the cycle was revived. Cosmos was revived. Cosmos. Called. You. Back. Instead of calling new people a fresh group of brand new saps to destroy, she used her power on you 16. Why? The crystals. The power she gave you that you took with you to your own worlds. She was selfish enough to want it back. And she got it. The 14th cycle you all awoke. No memories, no names, no anything. Right back where you started. That's what you remember, Cecil."

For a long time no one spoke. No one knew WHAT to say, or HOW to say it. Rosa herself couldn't decide between focusing on her anger at Cosmos and the FIRE burning in her mind for DOING this to her, or on her remorse and pain and the lead in her heart and melancholy that came with thinking of her home and her friends.

Cecil made the choice for them. "I don't BELIEVE THIS!" With a snarl of rage he spun around and ran for the back of the realm.

"Where are you going?" Warrior asked, grabbing his arm.

He ripped his arm from Warrior's grip. "Get OFF of me! I'm going AFTER her, dammit!" he yelled. "I'm confronting her!"

"Me too!" Firion growled. angrily, stepping next to Cecil. "She's gone too far this time!" Cloud and Squall stepped up next to Cecil too. People were taking sides left and right after those two, but Rosa couldn't. She was frozen.

The Emperor smiled down at her. "Can't make up your mind? Don't know what to think? Let me help you. Your world: gone to you. Your friends: gone to you. Your kingdom: lost. Your future, ANY kind of FUTURE you EVER WOULD HAVE HAD WIHT HIM: lost. Let it build in you. Grow in you. Let it fester and boil."

Against her attempts at resistance to his words, images began to flash in her mind. Her castle, the moat, the town she left. The time her and Cecil spent in the deepest corner of the town where the sluices were, letting water into the city. The people of the kingdom. The festivals, the throne, all of it. Gone. The Harvey line in Baron began and now ended with Cecil.

She spun, a new anger surging and her legs moving of their own accord. She snatched Cecil's hand and nearly wrenched his arm from the socket as she hauled him to the door. "Let's go," she said.

"Teleport Stone's open out there!" the Emperor called casually behind them.


	54. Chapter 54

There was a flash way off in the distance, in the Land of Discord.

Kefka watched it for a minute before realizing what it was.

"Crap! CRAP! They used the Teleport Stone! Go! Go! Go!"

Ultimecia unfroze Golbez, and they all left for Order's Sanctuary.

* * *

As soon as they teleported to the Cornelia Plains, Cecil wasted NO time in finding the Gateway to Order's Sanctuary.

* * *

They teleported away, and the Emperor wasted no time in leaving himself, going to Order's Sacntuary. They all arrived at once. Ultimecia and Kefka with their two captives, and the Emperor.

"Is it done?" she asked.

He smiled devilishly at her. "It is. Ready for a show?"

She laughed. "Indeed."

* * *

All 20 of them splashed through Sanctuary's pond. There she was. Just sitting on her throne. Only she was slumped over to one side, bracing herself up with her arm like someone shoved her into the white rock. She heard them running at her, full tilt, and looked up with a gasp.

Cecil was leading the charge, and the first thing he did when he got close enough was wind up and launch his Paladin's spear at Cosmos with a cry of rage.

"Hey!" Warrior yelled. "He was lucky enough to slide his shield off his arm and throw it in the path of the weapon before it his Cosmos, deflecting it. Warrior sprinted ahead and skidded to a halt in front of Cosmos.

"LIAR!" he spat at her over Warrior's shoulder.

"What are you DOING?" Firion yelled at Warrior, drawing his sword. The rest of them followed suit and those whose weapons weren't already barred were unsheathed.

"You want answers, then ask her. But I will NOT allow you to attack her!" he said, spreading his arms protectively.

"Why not?" Rosa yelled. "SHE's more of an enemy than the Emperor right now!"

A crowd of 'yeahs' echoed behind her, and for the first time in a long time Rosa felt in control. It fed into her anger and empowered her further and for a moment she lost herself. She fired an arrow at Cosmos post Warrior's shoulder. Cosmos ducked the arrow but Rosa had another drawn and ready. "Is it true?!" she screamed. "Is it true we can NEVER go home?! Is it?!"

"What all did he tell you?" Cosmos asked.

"The cycle," Cecil spat. "He told her about the cycle."

Cosmos looked desperately at Rosa. "That was no secret. I'm sorry it took you so long to find out-"

"No! Don't give me your pity! Don't act like lying by omission ISN'T lying! Is it TRUE that I'm STUCK here?! Will I be stuck here forever?!"

Cosmos averted her gaze. "Rosa . . . "

"Look at me!" Cosmos did. "You better answer me RIGHT NOW with the truth, or I swear to the Eidolons, I will shoot you RIGHT NOW! ARE. WE. STUCK. HERE?!"

Cosmos held Rosa's gaze. " . . . It's true. I'm sorry that that's the way things are, but-"

Rosa wasn't in the mood for her apology. "Don't! Don't you DARE try and apologize for RUINING our lives! Our CHANCES at life! Our kingdom, our friends, our FUTURES are DEAD to us now!"

"HOW could you bring us back like that?!" It was Tidus who decided to speak up next. "Knowing we'd never leave AGAIN? How could you pull us BACK once we left? How could you rip away our happiness TWICE?!"

"I- I don't know! The crystals, I-"

"So he was right!" Zidane said. "He said it was cuz you wanted the crystals back."

"That's not true!" Cosmos protested. "The crystals returned you to me. They returned you of their own volition when they sensed the danger I was in once again-"

"That's bull!" Vaan yelled. "What, you think we;re stupid now? The cycles revive the world, AND the losing god. Why would they think you're in danger if-"

"They didn't. That's the thing. She's lying," Squall huffed.

"You don't know that!" Warrior said, Cosmos' only defense. "There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this! If you'd just let her _speak_ -"

"I don't know about _you_ ," began Cecil, "but this is something you tell people from the start! Not when they want to attack you. It just makes it look like excuses. More lies, more EXCUSES!"

"How could you . . . _betray_ us like this?" Onion yelled. "How could you? WHY would you?!"

"Because I can still die!" Cosmos yelled, her silky, molten caramel voice cracking, just slightly. "As soon as all of my power is gone, Chaos will devour this world. There will be nothing _left_ of me to revive! And then . . . None of you understand! You weren't born here. You're not tied to the world like I am. Emotionally, or physically."

Cecil easily switched to Dark Knight, pointing his spear at the goddess. She seemed to be crumbling in on herself. "You RIPPED us from the world WE were tied to." he said.

"You're a monster," Rosa finally decided.

"N- no," Cosmos shook her head.

"You are. A selfish, bitter monster. No different than Chaos."

"I'm nothing like him! Nothing . . . " she trailed off.

Cecil GLARED up at her one last time, with more malice than Rosa ever in her wildest dreams thought him capable of. "I. hope. you. perish. I hope you perish with this world," he growled.

"Trust me . . . " she whispered, suddenly pausing. "Warriors . . . who trust me? . . . " Some great epiphany occurred to her.

Cecil charged at her.

Cosmos' head snapped up

Everything changed.


	55. Chapter 55

The Emperor watched them scream at Cosmos with glee. This was some dream he didn't even realize he wanted realized- watching the virtuous, glorified HEROES fall from grace so hard and so fast the impact on the ground broke them better than their nemeses in Chaos EVER could.

He paid particular attention to Cecil. Picture perfect rage did not go well with the light he usually held in his heart and wore on his sleeve and face.

It was a beautiful thing to watch.

And when Rosa fired that arrow . . .

She was like a goddess in her own right.

"Pay attention, Golbez," he purred like a parent scolding their child. "I want Cecil to attack her at the perfect time. So be ready."

Golbez made no indication that he understood. The Emperor glared to Ultimecia and nodded, and the witch stabbed the back of his shoulder blade with a purple arrow. The Emperor saw him bit his lip to keep from crying out, but figured that would be enough to keep him alert.

"Look at me!" Rosa screamed. "You better answer me RIGHT NOW with the truth or I swear to the Eidolons I will shoot you RIGHT NOW! ARE. WE. STUCK. HERE?!"

Ultimecia snorted. "Wooow, I'm impressed! What did you tell her to wind her up like that?"

The Emperor smiled coyly back at her.

"Only what I needed to. Just enough to shatter their very perception of reality. All of them. I wish you could've seen their reactions, Ultimecia. You could've frozen time on them to revel in it!"

"So she was right!" yelled out the monkey-child. "He said it was cuz you wanted the crystals back."

Ultimecia shot the Emperor another approving glance. "You covered every plot hole there was to fill."

"Believe me, I though this through countless times. The only thing I could not account for was Cosmos' reaction now. But that's why we have Cecil. Even if she manages to diffuse the situation, we have an ace we can use to spur forward the game. She'll have nothing to do but retaliate."

It was funny he said that.

"You're a monster," Rosa said quietly.

"Get him ready, Golbez."

The huge man held his palm up to Cecil, and he offered no resistance as he switched to Dark Knight.

He lifted his spear at Cosmos.

She surpassed all of their expectations.

* * *

They were backing Cosmos into a dangerous corner. They had their weapons bare. They were ready to revolt. Against her. Against the world.

A part of her knew she deserved it. She deserved it from the start.

The other part of her was insulted. Insulted, fed up, exhausted. She needed to stop this, NOW! Before they harmed her. She'd only HAVE to fight back.

"You're a monster."

"N-no," Cosmos said. " _I just want to protect this world! I'm sorry . . ._ "

"You are. A selfish, bitter monster. No different than Chaos."

Cosmos' anger flared. How DARE Rosa compare her to that creature! She wanted her LIFE, HOW could they antagonize her for it? Her warriors, her WORLD was slipping through her fingers. "I'm NOTHING like him! Nothing . . . "

Wasn't she? Was she any different? He wanted what he wanted, and he would do whatever he had to to get it. Even ruin whole worlds. And she ruined her warriors' worlds. Were they that diff . . .

No. She knew what the difference was. She had sympathy. Compassion. She cared too much for the people she was FORCED to walk on. She let them know that. That was her downfall. She let them get too smart.

With a start, Ultimecia's comments entered her head from when she was still held captive. " _They don't trust me . . ._ Trust me . . . Warriors . . . who trust me?"

' _You'd do better with warriors who trust you.'  
_  
She knew what she had to do. She'd have to MAKE them trust her. Fine. If they didn't want to fight for her on their own . . . she could empty their heads of rebellious thoughts- of everything. She could usher in a _new_ battle. With a fresh batch of obedient warriors.

Galvanized into action, Cosmos' head snapped up, and she made the split-second decision that changed everything.

She summoned a jagged spear of light to her clenched fist. She pulled back, grabbing Warrior's shoulder roughly. She jerked him backwards and rammed the spear so far into his back he was lifted up on his toes as the tip poked out the other side of his chest.

All Rosa saw was a flash of light, too quick for her eyes. All she heard was Warrior's started, strangled cry. When she looked again, Cosmos' shard of light punched a hold straight through his armor and chest so violently his back arched. Another scream agonizingly tore itself from between his clenched teeth, but its life choked short when Cosmos adjusted her grip and jammed the bolt further into his heart.

"Warrior!" Cecil yelled, shocked out of his charge.

They watched her shove Warrior to the side and pull her spear from his chest, and he collapsed heavily into the water like a toppled building, unmoving, blood thickly tainting the water. It formed a pink, whispy cloud around his still form.

Rosa just stiffened; the icy chains of shock coiled like a snake up her spine, and she couldn't move. Not right away. They weighed her down, froze her in place, and she couldn't look away from Warrior's limp, discarded body. She tried to blink, to divert her gaze, but she just couldn't.

Gods, she needed to HELP!

A hoarse, horrified cry escaped her throat and she made a break for where he lay.

"Stop!" Cosmos yelled, whirling around, raising her palm at Rosa. She felt the air around her thin. It sucked the breath right from her lungs and she choked a second before the bind spell immobilized her. It pressed into her muscles and chest until she could barely breathe. Instinctually she gasped, and it squeezed tighter around her chest. Her heart began to thump loudly in her ears from the strain, but she couldn't move. All she could do was shallowly gasp for air.

Cosmos stepped out in front of her throne against the 19 pairs of shocked, hurt, and betrayed eyes. "I'm so sorry," she said, voice thick and tormented with genuine sorrow. She leveled her spear at her chosen. "But if _you_ will not help me, if _you_ will not protect this world, if you will not protect _me_ , then I must . . . bring in new warriors who will! I will create a new start, and have you all Purified _myself_ if that's what it takes! I will bring in new warriors who WILL do their duties to me without question! I refuse to let this world, my world, _myself_ be cast aside!"

The air inside Rosa's entrapment dried and thinned with unmistakable electrical energy. The hair on her neck and arms rose up with the lowering, crippling pressure, drawing the breath further from her heaving chest. She eked out a squeak of panic as she saw the Thunder change around her and shut her eyes, bracing as best she could for the shocks.

Before the pain came she heard Cecil scream, "No!" Her eyes snapped open to watch him charge a few steps, weapon raised. He scared the fearful, uneasy goddess and she jumped in alarm , abandoning Rosa to defend herself.

Rosa relaxed in relief and quickly closed the short distance to Warrior, but she easily saw she was too late, even with his back to her. He lay in a pool of pink, diluted blood that leaked from the hole in his armor. A trickle from his mouth dripped, lonely and solitary and dejected, to the water, further polluting the once perfect pond. His eyes remained open in blank shock. Pupils dull and glazed over, they stared emptily into the horizon. Defeated. Their resolution gone, their power gone.

Rosa's heart sank. Cosmos stabbed through _his_ heart. He was probably dead before he hit the ground. The sound of his pathetic, off-guard scream echoed in her ears, and she shut her eyes to mentally silence it.

It wasn't real. It wasn't happening.

And yet, every time she opened her eyes, Warrior stared. Every time a second of tense, thick, betrayal-tainted SILENCE ticked by, his residual noise of pain resonated across the water like a banshee's shriek.

It. wasn't. happening.

" _We_ refuse to be lied to any longer!" Cecil yelled, brandishing his spear threateningly. "We are _done_ being your pawns, your oblivious victims! You're betrayed our trust one-too many battles, one-too many cycles!" He dropped to the ready, spear glinting as he set it behind him. Through his helmet he screamed, "You've betrayed ALL of us! But worst of all, you've betrayed WARRIOR! Our friend, and your ONLY defender! We will NO LONGER let you go unpunished!"

All the warriors behind Cecil shuffled and moved to their fighting stances as well. Rosa took a moment to put her gentle hand on Warrior's still , damaged chest plate. She closed her eyes tightly, focusing her shock, pain, anger, and fear in her heart, like a spark on the hot coals of a fire pit. She grabbed her bow firmly and jumped up, fierce emerald eyes looking into the flighty azure blue of Cosmos'.

The goddess fearfully looked at the threatening arc of warriors around her before looking up into the sky and sighing incredulously. Shutting her eyes, she half-turned from the both hands clasped over her heart. "I can't . . . " she breathed. "I can't let you abandon me. It's all falling apart, and I . . . I'm desperate. I'm desperate . . . I'm sorry." Her arm tensed suddenly, like a coiled snake striking. In slow motion Rosa watched Cosmos whirl back around and cast her arm to the side, down the line of warriors.

White-hot shards of light sprayed behind her hand, the first far too fast for the first warriors in line to react. A barrage struck the head of the line and Laguna, Onion, Vaan, and Vivi dropped instantly, riddled with fragments of light. Zidane had just enough time to shove Garnet behind him before he took Cosmos' deadly arrows in his chest. Tifa blocked her upper body and face, but a bolt ripped through her leg and she tumbled to the ground. More light shards grazed Lightning's side and one managed to pierce her right shoulder. Everyone beyond had time to block, including Rosa, who shielded herself and Cecil with a blue hexagonal Protect barrier. She held it until she saw Cosmos lower her arm.

The tension snapped like a rubber band.

Cecil surged forward, hefting his spear behind him. He let out an enraged cry and stabbed harshly at her. Barely worming to the left, she furiously swatted his spear to the side an with her other hand summoned a shiny pristine scythe of pure light. He quickly threw himself backwards out of the path of her stroke, the force blowing his silky, white hair backwards.

He landed nimbly and wisely ghosted backwards, just as Rosa and Kain ran in behind. They hesitated as Cosmos backed off her throne, away from her own warriors. She brandished her scythe, cutting arcs in the air. Wherever the blade went it left a residual slice, a sparkler in the night, a tangible threat to whoever would challenge it.

Cecil recovered with a low growl of irritation and followed, undaunted, ready for another strike. Both Rosa and Kain trailed behind despite the scythe's warning, but before any of them could reach the goddess, Tidus and Firion shot past all three of them.

Firion stopped to pull his staff from his belt and cast a Thunder to bear down on her right as Tidus pulled back to strike. He slashed at her middle, so she slid backwards and put Tidus right in the path of the spell. The deft, powerful magic drew to his water sword like a magnet and shot straight up his arms into his whole body, fraying every nerve ending he had. He screamed briefly from the sharp, quick pain, and stiffened up until he collapsed backwards, into the water.

"Tidus!" Yuna yelled. She ran across the battlefield to him, summoning Ixion to be her cover as she crossed Cosmos to bend over him. Cosmos suddenly turned her attention to Yuna, slowly making her way toward her. Ixion challenged the goddess from his symbol, but Rosa still sent controlled, steady cover fire for her to block. She casually put up a barrier of translucent light to deflect her arrows and just as cooly engaged Lightning, who tried to flank her.

Light slashed at the barrier, gun blade clanging heavily against it. It shone brightly and her blade bounced roughly off it. Grunting in surprise, her pierced shoulder erupted in flames from the crippling vibrations that shot up and down her arm, and she nearly dropped her blade. She clumsily recovered, and her and Squall charged a second time; together they attacked the repellant barrier.

Cosmos watched safely behind her shield as they struggled with the magic, each riposte like parrying a chop from a two-handed sword. Finally, she countered. Squall surged forward with a red powerful Revolver Drive to try and drill through the barrier but at the last second, Cosmos dropped it completely. He blindly shot past her while Lightning ran in, shooting bullet after bullet painfully off-target, grinding her teeth against the recoils' radiating pain in her shoulder. She closed the distance to Cosmos when she was close enough she rolled to the side to dodge a bolt of light and rose, slashing upwards at the goddess. Cosmos deflected and they pressed, strong at first, but Rosa could see Light's wound hindering her strength.

She had the arrow drawn and ready quickly and pulled the string back to full-draw. She aimed at Cosmos' arm, the hand grabbing Lightning's sword. The two twisted and writhed in their struggle, so Rosa aimed carefully, hoping to avoid Light.

Confident Light wouldn't falter, she let the string slip expertly through her fingers, smiling slightly in relief at the arrow's perfectly straight path to its target.

At the last second Cosmos broke the block and swatted the arrow out of the way. Lightning quickly backflipped away from her, immediately landed, and began a Crushing Blow. She snatched her Zantetsuken blades from the air and darted forward and Cosmos, slashing at her with a snarl of rage. She teleported safely out of the way only to reappear right behind Light. Gasping in surprise, Light switched to Ravager and tried to cast a Thunder spell at her, but she grabbed Light's injured, outstretched arms dn ripped it harshly behind her, halting he completely and tossing her on her shoulder several feet away. She landed hard, bouncing and rolling over before coming to a stop on her bad side. Rosa could tell from the way she screamed out in pain it was dislocated. She watched Light struggle to get back up, holding herself up on her other shaking arm, then crumple weakly in the water, clutching he shoulder.

Cosmos abandoned Light to turn back to Yuna, oblivious as she bent over Tidus, yet still under Ixion's protection. She barely took a step towards her before Squall and Cloud came to her defense. They nodded angrily to each other in silent agreement, running forward together, Cloud taking the lead, Firion, Squall, and Kain hot on his heels. When they got close enough, Cosmos raised her palm and shot a ray of white-hot light at them. Squall flinched instinctually and block, and Firion and Kain dodged out of the way. But Cloud whipped the huge Buster Sword behind his back and charged it up, the blade glowing a vibrant blue. he hurled the blade around, slamming it into the water, and the Blade Beam arced seamlessly off the sword. Cosmos shot another beam of light at him and the two attacks collided and exploded in a bitter glare of light and a cloud of smoke, swallowing the goddess.

Rosa stopped firing to watch Squall leap into the air and use a Rough Divide, gun blade flashing as it cut through the smoke. Cosmos cried out in alarm, and Rosa triumphantly met eyes with Kain and Firion. Together they sprinted an arc around the clearing smoke for a better vantage point.

Squall slashed at her side, tore her beautiful white dress, severed her perfects kin. A thick but fast-spreading flow of blood leaked down the immaculate, white silk. She let her guard down just for a moment to press a hand to her side, but it was enough. In a rush Rosa sighted, drew, and fired an arrow at Cosmos. The force of it embedding in her shoulder sent her reeling around, straight into the path of Squall's swinging gunblade. It connected with her chest and he pulled the trigger. She flew back, landing on her back in the water and sliding back, another fresh cut on her chest.

Kain and Firion both charged her, but Cecil shoved through both of them to take a well-placed jab with his spear. Cosmos wisely teleported away again to a safe clearing from her warriors. She squared herself to them and summoned a small knife of light to face off with them.

Recovering quickly, Squal shot a barrage of fire and ice spells at her. Cosmos dodged effortlessly, twirling elegantly aside. She side sidestepped Firion's hasty, sloppy ax chop, kicked him face-first into the water, parried Cecil's jab behind her back without even turning, and pushed him back with a ray of light. Spinning back around, she flipped the knife up and snatched the blade, then LAUNCHED it end over end at Squall.

He grunted in pain as it pierced his left shoulder and he staggered back, blade searing the skin around the wound. When he looked up, Cosmos was gone. He blinked hard and blearily against the pain swallowing a groan, and when he looked up again Cosmos teleported right in front of him. She called a long, heavy spear of light and jammed it into his other shoulder. She slowly pushed him painfully backwards until his legs buckled and he slammed down into the water.

She mouthed, "I'm sorry," to him as she held him down and called a small dagger to finish him off. The hot, white light bit into his skin when he held it against his throat, but he resisted the urge to squirm. He glared defiantly up at her, matching the pitiful misery in her eyes with fury.

Cosmos closed her eyes to deal the killing blow.

Suddenly a rogue wind spell flew at Cosmos, hitting her shoulder. Firion ran at her from the other side; he snatched up his rope knives from his boots and pitched them forward. They snapped around her wrists and twirled around and around her arm. Firion pulled as hard as he could and jerked her backwards, spinning her around again. She stumbled awkwardly with a weak whine of pain, clutching at her injury. Pulling back, she began a dangerous tug-of-war between the two. Firion grit his teeth and dug his heels into the water as best he could, muscles tensing and straining to maintain his hold on the goddess.

They were at a standstill.

Rosa finally saw another chance. She could end Cosmos' deadly tantrum, there and then. A fraction of an instant of rationality and dignity and profound contemplation ripped through the new roots of discontent, distrust, disillusionment and anger. It almost uprooted the pessimistic tree that learned to grow and thrive in her previously kind, optimistic, idealistic heart. Almost. She had no idea how it would change the world, killing the goddess. There was still too much about the cycle she didn't know for her to normally take this chance.

She was too upset to care.

They all were.

Cosmos was to blame for all of it anyway.

She jammed that rationality deep down and locked it up tight so it couldn't resurface. Slipping an arrow from her quiver, in a fraction of a second she had it to full-draw, aimed sighted. Cooly and evenly, she channeled as much Holy Magic as she could into the tip until it gleamed, as white-hot as Cosmos' weapons.

The string slipped form her pinched fingers.

The arrow SCREAMED through the air, power lighting up the grey skies and glaring off the water. Fririon didn't see it. In one more desperate tug for purchase he hauled Cosmos forward out of the path of the arrow. Cosmos quickly regained her blanace again, growling softly in annoyance. She grabbed the rope around her arm and started hauling Firion in. Ripping him forward again, with the slack she called a huge, deadly chain flail and spun on Cloud next. She hurled her arm around, spiked ball connecting with his robe with squelching _thunk_. He collapsed, landing hard in a curled heap in the water. Rosa started, about to run over to him, but stopped in relief as Zack, one of the few not fighting, ran to help him.

Cosmos swung the flail at Cecil next, and he dashed out of the way. The ball splashed messily in the water and they continued, counters, attacks, blocks, strikes, and ripostes. Watching, on edge, Rosa waited hungrily for the her next opportunity to shoot without harming Cecil. when she finally found it, the shot embedded into Cosmos' stomach, making her scream out and collapse. Cecil shot in as though from a cannon. He switched to Paladin in a burst of light and charged a Paladin Force, releasing the pale light from his palm. It drew to Cosmos greedily, and drew him even more quickly. He slashed at Cosmos' back and cut through the follow through. Before it could even bleed eh twisted in the air and threw another orb of light at her. he dashed straight through her block and cut cleanly across her arm and chest.

As he flew above her for the final strike, she stood. She blindly reached out and grabbed Cecil's cape, halting all his momentum and choking him back with whiplash. He hung there, disoriented and momentarily defenseless, and Cosmos switched weans for a spends, tapered stiletto knife. Rosa aimed as quickly as she could for the space between Cosmos and Cecil's chests while Cosmos pulled back.

She guessed right. Her arrow caught Cosmos' palm when she thrust forward to stab him. The knife was knocked from her hand and Cecil shifted to Dark Knight while still in her grip.

It was quick, a flash, and he was wearing his dark palates. Not the slow, agonizing process it was while the Emperor still had him. And yet when the darkness cloaked him under Cosmos' hand it lapped at her blood-stained fingers like a vampire, biting and stinging into her sin. It started to hiss, burning her skin. She gasped and dropped Cecil like he was a poison she had just been about to drink.

She raised her singed hand to send a shot of light through Cecil, but Firion still had his knives around her arm. he pulled and her attack flew wide, hitting Cecil in the side. He cried out and collapsed.

"Cecil!" Rosa screamed.

She took a few steps toward him, being careful to keep behind Cosmos and Firion.

"I- I'm fine!" he said, pointing animatedly to Cosmos. "Just go help Firion!"

Rosa looked back and saw that Cosmos had cut the ropes on Firon's knives and was drilling away at him with her chain flail. Firion managed to get his shield up in time as she swung the flail. The ball _screeched_ along Firion's armor, the force staggering him back a couple steps. Cosmos closed him in; a forcefield of light shot up around them, protecting her from the others and preventing his escape. He tried an upward cut then a thrust with his sword, but Cosmos was too quick. He danced out of the terrifyingly fast arc of the flail himself, the breeze from each swing a desperate reminder of how badly it would hue tif he was struck.

Kain tried to throw his spear through the forcefield. Hitting the shield, the instant his attack struck he recoiled like he was physically hit and collapsed to a knee.

Cosmos continued, unfazed, relentless in her attacks, and Firion weakened gradually. Each time the flail hit his defense it jarred his whole body. His reflexed grew slower and slower, his attacks grew clumsier. A little longer and Cosmos would have overtaken him.

"Kain, help him!" Rosa cried, pointing to Firion behind the forcefield. He recovered quickly and bolted for him, crouching before the barrier and leaping off the ground in a powerful Jump. Firion stabbed and Cosmos swung again, the chain flail tangling messily around the sword. They both pulled, struggling to disarm the other, until Kain descended upon them.

Cosmos fel the attack coming. She leaned to the left and heaved Frion forward with all her might. He was yanked off his feet and collided with Kain. How own sword stabbed straight into Kain's thigh, and the two of them tumbled back and landed in a heap in the water.

Cosmos spun frantically, expecting another attacker to be right on her heels. She looked around and took stock- most were recovering or straining to stand, some just weren't attacking-

Her eyes scanned the crowd, finally locking on the form that was Tera, hiding delicately behind a white barrier.

She made another awful split-second decision.

She teleported over to Terra. An easy target.

Too late, Rosa screamed, "Terra!" Cosmos was already in front of her. She fasted and spun around, and Rosa thought she was just going to cower there. Instead, Terra jumped away from her. When she turned back around the determination that crouched, ready to spring in her eyes, made Cosmos hesitate.

Terra flicked her wrist and a fire spell exploded in front of her. A warning. A warning Cosmos decided to ignore. She advanced on Terra dn shot a shard of light at her. Terra quickly danced out of the way and threw a Blizzard spell in retaliation. The goddess deflected with a block. She ghosted across the water quickly to trap Terra, but the mage planted a single spark of Thundage straight into Cosmos' path, halting her. Terra's next Flare detonated behind Cosmos and knocked her forward, and with alarming speed Terra' hand shot out and snatched her wrist. Her palms glowed blue with power, and Cosmos tried to pull away, but Terra squeezed her wrists tighter and her power surged. In a frosty blast Terra encased Cosmos' whole hands in two perfect ice traps.

She let go and Cosmos retreated, her light trying to blast its way through the ice. She stared in disbelief as the thick sheets held firm, her power unable to escape.

Terra drew her sword, but did not advance.

For a moment, the air was silent.

Cosmos' final chance. Visual contemplation put an odd spark in the goddess' eyes: she was badly injured, so were the warriors. Abandon her twisted cause? Or finish her commitment to her ideal cycle?

Even the water held its breath so see what either side would do.

Rosa chose for everyone. She rushed Cosmos, reaching for her knife. Cosmos threw herself towards Terra, shocking both of them and catching them both off-guard. Rosa quickly switched as well, snatching one of her last few arrows from the quiver. She aimed the arrow at Cosmos' leg to slow her down and hopefully give Terra a chance to defend herself. It only grazed her leg, so Cosmos continued her advance on Terra.

She staggered desperately back and tripped, landing on her butt with an "Oof!" in the water.

The ince encasing Cosmos' hands shattered when she summoned a long, sharp, elegant rapier. Her scared eyes followed the tip as it aimed down at her the glint on the blade like a giggle at her peril.

She shut her eyes. She didn't look at the laughing sword. Ixion managed to save her, wholly emerging from his symbol. He dove in front of Terra and the point stabbed into his shoulder. Rearing back, he screamed out in pain, and Terra's eyes snapped open in surprise.

"Yuna?" she squeaked.

Cosmos stared from the weapon to Ixion, and with a horrible touch of finality, made the weapon longer. It stabbed through Ixion and pierced Terra's chest. She left the two of them there to writhe, but seconds later Terra lay still, the huge horse kicking on top of her.

Bartz immediately let out a heart broken, gut-wrenching scream. He broke for the goddess, finally breaking his neutrality, nothing but anger seeming to surround him in a dangerous aura. Pulling her knife from her belt, she ran in after Bartz, his passion and anger enough to fuel hers. Together, the two of them attacked, one last, desperate effort in defense of their friends and that last shred of hope that Cosmos would relent.

Bartz's Brave Blade materialized in his clenched fist, but a scream that wasn't Bartz's came from hs mouth. he crouched low and cut while Rosa strode tall and stabbed at her chest. She teleported away, her fatigue and injuries showing more and more with each passing minute. Bartz was on her again in a second, Rosa trailing behind.

Cosmos gasped and simple tried to block, so Bartz lined up a perfect copy of Cloud's Omnislash and shot through her with the first strike. As he reared up for the second he switched weapons to Tidus' aqua-blue Brotherhood and spiraled down on her digging the blade into her already injured shoulder. Bartz continued with the attack, passing Rosa when he shot around. Grabbing her outstretched hand and hoisting her from the ground, he followed through Cosmos using Onion's quick, uncatchable heated jabs all over her stained and torn dress. He soared straight up into the air and let go of Rosa's hand to continue his attack, letting Rosa free fall.

A brief moment of weightlessness, and she plummeted down, watching Bartz's orange and blue form blur around Cosmos below her. Climbing high for the final cut, he drew level with Rosa on the way down, grabbing her hand again to give her momentum.

The two of them lunged for Cosmos.

This was it.

They would be avenged.

They would be _safe_.

Rosa let her heart swell as greatly as she could and poured all of it into her power. It filled the dagger and the tip glowed and resonated until there was almost a palpable ring to it. She could see Bartz doing the same, a terrible fury in his eyes that they all had been reduced to, even Cecil. He screamed with the exertion, and the two of them twisted and spiraled around each other.

Their final cut slashed her chest in an x.

Cosmos was knocked back collapsed on top of the water, unmoving.

Bartz and Rosa landed, their breath heavy and exhausted. Rosa couldn't look at Cosmos' still form. She quickly looked around for where she last remembered leaving Cecil and stared making her way over to him.

Suddenly there was a glass, and Rosa was immediately on her guard. Cosmos dragged herself to a sitting position. She propped herself up on one bloody, shaky arm and raised the other. Little shards of light surrounded the goddess on all sides, encasing her in a dome, inches apart.

Someone yelled, "Look out!"

Cosmos flicked her wrist.

The darts shot out at them like machine gun spray. A few connected with Rosa's shoulder and the force spun her around to the ground. Ignoring the fire that exploded in her collarbone and down her arm, she looked again when the barrage was over.

Cosmos was gone.

Rosa could tell she wasn't coming back.


	56. Chapter 56

Rosa got up slowly, stiffly, trying to keep her shoulder as still as possible. She cradled her arm to her chest and got up without so much as a twinge, but when her neck twisted to look around, a flair of pain tore through her shoulder again. Wincing against the fire she clutched at the wound, Curaga spell tumbling from her lips before she even knew what she was doing.

Her hand glowed a soft green over the slice, and she sighed in soothing, cooling relief as the magic channeled into her skin. The wound closed smoothly, the muscle repaired itself, and the seared skin quickly retrieved its pink, healthy hue. She gave herself another once-over, checking herself for any other injuries but she was fine.

Rosa turned towards a groan behind dyer and saw Cecil trying to stand, clutching at his side. He raised his eyes right as she took a step towards him and quickly waved her off.

"I'm fine. Go to the others, first."

"Cecil-"

"Go tend to the others!" he screamed angrily at her, making her flinch. He pointed somewhere behind her. "Over there. Cloud and Tifa need help."

She turned and saw Tifa trying to drag her injured leg behind her and limp to Cloud, unconscious in the water. Rosa ran over and caught her stumbling. She wrapped Tifa's arm around her shoulder and gently led her to Cloud, sitting her next to him.

"He got hit bad," Tifa said, detached. "He drug me away and hid me. I had to watch the whole thing . . . " She clenched her fist. I couldn't help. At all."

While she vented Rosa rolled Cloud over onto his back and peeled his sweater up under his arms to inspect his side. It was an ugly, messy wound. The spikes of the flail pierced his skin on the initial hit, but when they pulled away they tore the whole thing open in four deep, thick, ragged scratches. They bled heavily and unevenly. The whole thing was a red and purple blotched bruise, wrapping all the way around to his stomach and spine. Rosa peeled apart one of the scratched to see how deeply they were, frowning. White magic alone probably wouldn't heal it.

Tifa said something else, but Rosa heard none of it. "Hm?" she asked. She took a small piece of her mesh cape and cut it from the bottom with her knife. She used her canteen to wet it and started wiping away some of the blood. He was going to bleed out, and soon, Rosa knew. She needed bandages.

"He was protecting you," Rosa said generically when Tifa finished again.

"Maybe I _could've_ helped. Maybe the others wouldn't have gotten so hurt! Maybe-"

Zack ran over, kneeling next to Cloud. "Is he ok?" he asked, cutting Tifa off as well.

"He'll be fine. Just get me some bandages, and any and all potions, or anything else you have."

He quickly dug through his pockets, revealing multi-colored orbs that looked like glass, and two measly potions.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"It's fine," Rosa assured him. "This is what you call Materia, yes?"

"Yeah. That green one's Cure."

"Use it one him."

"How much?"

"As much as you have to. This is no time to be stingy. "WHO HAS BANDAGES?!" she called.

"We need help down here!" she heard someone yell after her. She turned and saw Cecil leaning over someone Rosa couldn't see. "Garnet! Yuna! One of you see to them! I need bandages over here!"

"Laguna has some on him!" Kain yelled to her.

"Rosa!" Cecil yelled. "Vaan can't wait!"

"Neither can Cloud! Call Garnet!"

"I can't believe this is happening . . . " Tifa muttered, her voice cracking.

"Just stay calm," huffed Rosa.

"Squall's hurt bad!" she heard Bartz yell.

"Where the HELL are the other two?!" She looked around and saw Yuna and Garnet already occupied.

"This is crazy . . . " Tifa put her head in her hands.

"All done here," Zack said. She looked at the wound again. Three scrapes were thick with scabbing, congealing blood, but the last was still deep, red and angry, and bleeding.

"Go get those bandages off of Laguna," she ordered, trying Curaga.

"Who's that?"

"Blue jacket, red pants, black boots . . . " She paused in her description and was struck with a heavy reminder. " . . . Dead."

Zack went off and Rosa used another Curaga, closing the wound tiny bit more, but not much. She wiped more of the blood away.

"I just . . . feel so powerless-"

"Tifa!" Rosa yelled, startling her. "Do you want to help now?! Then do me a favor, if you please: Stay. calm. Put pressure on your leg, and watch over Cloud for me, ok?"

Gods, this was like the wars Baron used to wage. Injured, dying men brought in left and right, all the mages running around, pulled in six directions.

"Rosa, Vaan needs help!"

She labored to her feet right as Zack got back. She snatched the bandage from him and unwound them skillfully, wrapping a whole yard around her hand before ripping it with east. She handed the rest of the roll back, telling him, "Bandage his side. Wrap it all the way around, ok? If he wakes up, make sure he stays awake."

Rosa took the rest of the roll, turned, and sprinted across the field to Vaan. She could see his pale, waxy, sweaty skin before she knelt over him. Cosmos' darts were splayed across his chest and stomach like bloody artwork, and he bled heavily from each of them and from his mouth, his life bleeding away in the water. His whole body trembled violently, his eyes blinked heavily.

Rosa knelt next to him, and he turned slightly towards her.

"C- cradle his head," she told Cecil.

"P . . . Pe . . . " Vaan stammered, thickly swallowing down a bit of blood in his throat.

"What is it, Vaan?" Rosa asked him, grabbing his hand. She didn't even unroll the bandages. He was dying. There was nothing else she could do for him. he winced when Cecil lifted his head to rest on his lap, but continued to try and say something to Rosa. She poured water on her hand and wiped some blood away fro his mouth.

"Pen . . . elo?"

Rosa and Cecil met eyes over Vaan. "I'm here, Vaan," she said, squeezing his hand.

He blearily blinked up at her, weakly squeezing back. A tear slipped from his eye and he sucked another breath in, hiccuping from his shaking. "Penelo, I . . . " he began. The rest of his breath left him in a _whoosh_ , and he didn't take another.

Rosa's heart sank inter her stomach and she bit back a sob, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand instead of panicking. She blinked back the tears and wiped her eyes, then stood an turned away to whoever else was lying in the water. Tidus was hauling himself to his feet with Yuna's help. Firion and Garnet were caring for Kain, who wasn't immediately dying.

Her eyes met Squall. She ran to him, leaping over Bartz, who was clutching at Zidane's vest and crying into his chest, threatening her own tears. She ignored it, sliding like a baseball player to his side already inspecting both his pierced shoulders.

"Lie still," she told him as he writhed, pushing both arms flat against the ground. He complied and she lifted his jacked and peeked through his shirt. She inspected both wounds, the throwing knife wound surprisingly deep for such a small knife. But it was a clean wound, and the hot weapon actually cauterized it a tiny bit. "An easy fix," she said. "Just remember to lie still." She touched the wound and he hissed a breath in through his teeth, but relaxed against the water when she coerced the magic into his shoulder. The skin knit itself together cleanly and completely, and she worked on the other side, nearly fixing it. "Can you move them?" she asked.

He quickly tested them, shrugging both and rolling his arms. "Stiff, but fine," he finally said.

She nodded and lightly bandaged the lacerated shoulder. As soon as she could she looked around, finally sighing in relief. No one else was dying, no one else needed absolutely immediate, life-saving white magic.

" _No one else is alive_ ," she whispered to herself before she could help herself. She consciously shut al the doors around her heart, and made efforts to stay detached. Mourning _had_ to come later. Help came first.

Garnet had just healed Kain's leg, and as soon as he could stand he was up, walking around with Firion. Rosa decided to let them go, but motioned over to Garnet for her to help with Tifa's leg.

Light was the last person in need of healing. Rosa found her lying in the water, cradling her injured shoulder to her chest. Her side had already stopped bleeding, so Rosa immediately began feeling around her shoulder for the dislocation, deciding on the right way to pop it back in place. Lightning pulled away on reflex, but Rosa pushed her back against the water. "Relax." Luckily, her arm hadn't shifted at all. "Stand up," she said, tapping the top of Light's shoulder.

She grabbed Light's good elbow, hauling her to her feet, and Light screamed through her teeth when her arm hung limp.

"Relax," Rosa cooly assured her again. "Listen to me carefully. Bend your elbow in front of you like this." She made a 90 degree angle with her elbow, straight out in front of her. When Light copied her, gripping her shoulder, Rosa moved her arm to the side, in line with her body. Again, Light managed with difficulty.

"It didn't go in?"

"No."

"Ok. Raise your arm up above your head from here. Straight up."

Light did as she was told and with a jerk and a dull pop her arm fell back in place. She dropped it with a sigh of relief and went to work her shoulder, but Rosa stopped her.

"Don't! You shouldn't move it. I'll make a sling for it, and with magic you'll be able to fight in a few days, but it needs rest."

Light glared at her like somehow it was _Rosa's_ fault this happened to her, but said nothing. Good. Rosa just didn't have it in her to fight back, either.

Everybody was healed that needed it.

Except Cecil. She spun, looking for him, remembering his scorched side. he was over with Kain and Firion, and she realized they'd been draggng the murdered warriors to lay them next to Warrior.

Right in the line, Warrior, his broken, bloody chest plate the only imperfection. They lay Vaan next to him, all the holes and blood a terrible contrast to Warrior, nearly perfect. Terra next to Vaan, also stabbed only once. The two looked so innocent. They _were_ innocent. They would never again laugh at his running mouth, the . . . STUPID things Vaan said. She would never again offer her quiet support, her stories of strength or survival. This battle had failed her.

Rosa's legs went numb. her knees started shaking, too weak to hold her up any longer. She collapsed next to their feet as they brought over Laguna, the bolt's hole in his throat his only wound. Dead instantly, light snuffed out. Bartz carried over Zidane, still sobbing bitterly over him. As soon as he laid him down he knelt down and tore at his vest, crying harder into his chest.

Firion brought back Onion and Vivi both, and Rosa finally allowed herself to cry for them.


	57. Chapter 57

The Emperor's jaw hit the floor. Kefka whooped and screamed in delight, hopping around and waving like a little girl dancing. Golbez gasped, Exdeath laughed, and Ultimecia's hand actually flew to her mouth.

Cosmos threw Warrior to the side, and the Emperor heard the sick, wet sucking sound the sword made ripping from his chest. His lip curled up in disgust at the sight of it, and he actually felt bad for the unsuspecting warrior, wincing on his behalf as he hit the water.

Aaaaand the glee was back! She actually froze Rosa when the mage tried to go and help him!

"Look, look, look! She's suffocating her!" Ultimecia said uncharacteristically happily, smacking him frantically on the arm to get his attention. "Oh. my. gods. she's gonna _shock_ her!"

"Look at her FACE!" Kefka sneered. "She's FROZEN! Hahahaha!"

They watched in anticipation as Cosmos started to say something. "Come on, come on, come on!" Kefka screamed, "CRUSH HER ALREADY!"

Unfortunately, Cecil scared Cosmos, so she let Rosa go.

"Dammit!" Ultimecia screamed with a giggle.

Cosmos turned away from them, clasping her hands to her chest. She spun quickly and shot the barrage of light stars at them, smacking down various warriors. The first went through Laguna's throat, snapping his head back. Before the blood could even spatter, Vaan went down next to him, riddled with holes. Onion Knight, Zidane, Vivi . . . Even Kefka's smile faded in the midst of the carnage.

"I think . . . I _think_ they've seen enough. Use his anger, Golbez. Make Cecil attack her. Do NOT relent until the battle is over. Do you understand?"

Ultimecia twisted the arrow in his back and he grunted in pain, back arching like Warrior's. He nodded quickly and held his hand up to Cecil, and within moments he was charging Cosmos.

The battle carried them away from Chaos' warriors, except for Kefka, who was hopping right along with them, screaming unheard obscenities.

"Let's get _closer_ , shall we?" Ultimecia hissed in Golbez's ear. She led him over to Cosmos right as the goddess hurled a knife over her shoulder at Squall. It flew RIGHT NEXT to Ultimecia on its path to Squall's shoulder, but despite the danger, she got a front row seat. Cosmos stabbed his other shoulder and bent him backwards to the water, then held a knife to his throat.

The Emperor never saw Ultimecia so euphoric. A genuine smile stretched up her stony face, her eyes lit up, and she even leaned forward with Golbez as Cosmos tensed to draw the knife across Squall's throat.

"Do it," she breathed. "Do it, do it!"

Rosa cut her joy short with a well-placed arrow, and they continued to battle, drifting away from them once again.

Firion was stronger than the Emperor _ever_ imagined. He watched in unexpected awe as his sworn nemesis, the bane of his existence, the order to his chaos, maintained, and maintained well, a desperate tug of war with a GODDESS. Granted, a weakened goddess, but still. Power of muscle was matching power of magic, move for move, blow for blow. He saved a number of his friends, including Cecil, deflecting a killing blow, while holding onto her like that.

Even though he weakened, the Emperor felt an odd sort of . . . respect for him. Pride. That was HIS nemesis. HE was charged with being that man's downfall.

It would be extra fun killing him the next time they met.

Cosmos held Cecil by the cape, choking the life out of him.

"Watch carefully," Exdeath told Golbez, "This very well may be the end of your brother."

Golbez tried to raise his hand to control Cecil, probably make him fight back, but all he managed to do was have Cecil shift to Dark Knight before Ultimecia spun him and slapped him. The darkness bit at Cosmos' skin, and Kefka giggled incessantly. He spent the rest of the time mocking the tiny squeak of pain Cosmos made.

Terra screamed and Kefka howled with her, peering down into her face even though she couldn't see him as Terra jerked in pain, then went limp. He danced around her, cackling sadistically.

"WOOOOOOHOOOOOOhehehehe- AHAHAHAHAHA!" he shrieked, kicking her once.

He nearly frothed at the mouth.

She was bloody. She was battered. She was close to collapsing. Rosa and Bartz were going to finish her off.

The Emperor watched pridefully, thinking upon the events that led to this. All the scheming, all the plotting, all the work, all the threats, all the hassle, all the fear, the cunning . . . it was about to pay off in one, beautiful moment.

Ultimecia came to the same conclusion, dragging Golbez level with the Emperor.

"Best. Plan. Ever." she muttered.

"Don't be so certain," Exdeath snorted. "Cosmos will run. I am sure of it."

"She won't get far," the Emperor replied, not even caring. "Not as bloodied as she is."

Sure enough, Cosmos did one last attack, another barrage of arrows, and then she was gone.

 *******  
"Should we intervene?" Ultimecia asked. Her eyes flicked greedily from Squall, lying abandoned and wounded in the water to the Emperor, practically begging him to let her go.

"No," he said smoothly. "I want to see how she handles this, and what we'll deal with for the rest of the cycle."

"You're going to let her heal all of them?"

"Some of them are beyond saving. The dead ones are dead to the cycle. Already their numbers are cut in half and by the time they plan a move against us we'll already have moved far beyond them."

Rosa was calm, collected, controlled. She ordered Zack around with practiced clarity, and kept the situation under control, even with so many people screaming, moaning, crying.

Cecil called her over to look at Vaan, and the Emperor blinked in amazement. how the HELL Vaan managed to hold on for so long, he had no idea. But he could tell from Rosa just holding his hand he was finished.

She didn't cry, which surprised the Emperor. Maybe she was trying to hide it.

They gathered the idea, and he finally saw Rosa in pain. She collapsed, her hand covering her mouth, and she sobbed. Disgusting, gut-wrenching sobs. Pitiful, heaving sobs.

She deserved the pain. The pain she made the Emperor feel as being returned, ten-fold. Good.

Cecil knelt next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and gently rocking her back and forth. Oh, look, he was crying too. How sweet. They all were. Bartz, Firion, Tifa, everyone but Kain. The frown was Kain's universal expression.

"Shall we gloat?" he asked Ultimecia.

She smiled. "We shall."

He appeared next to Warrior's head, those surviving at their dead comrades' feet. He put on his best sarcastic aura and pouted his lips as obviously as he could. "Oh, my, isn't this just the _worst_ shame?"

They all looked up sharply, Firion jumping to his feet. "Go away," he said. For once, the Emperor heard, there was no malice in Firion's voice at all. Only fatigue. Emotional turmoil. "For ONCE in your LIFE, show some respect for the dead!"

"What are you even DOING here?!" Cecil screamed. "Begone from here, monster!" he yelled, voice thick from tears. "Can't you see you've done enough already?!"

"Why, _Cecil_ ," he purred, feigning shock. " _I_ didn't do anything at all! Except tell you the truth! _You_ attacked her! This _really_ is sad. Look at all your dead, murdered friends. I _almost_ want to cry _for_ you. But I won't miss any of their horribly annoying antics."

One by one the Emperor's cohorts appeared with Golbez, and upon seeing him Cecil growled through his teeth. "You!" he spat.

"He's right, you know- the Emperor," prompted Ultimecia. She crossed her arms, "It's all your fault. I think I would cry from the guilt, too. You just _had_ to defend herself against Cosmos. You just _had_ to attack her. We saw the whole thing."

"Yes," the Emperor agreed. "We barely even NEEDED Goblez to influence you to charge her. You were so mad and ready to attack already."

"What?" Cecil said. "What do you mean?"

"I will enlighten you, considering you played EXACTLY. INTO. MY. HAND!" he yelled joyfully, idly nudging Warrior with his staff. "I suppose I should start from the beginning. My original plans were simply to defeat the gods by wearing down both sides, cycle by cycle. Mass my own power while doing it. That was their job," he told them, nodding to Kefka, Exdeath, and Ultimecia. "Rosa, _you_ probably remember one of their encounters."

Rosa barked out an incredulous laugh, taking the Emperor by surprise. He blinked in confusion as she spoke. "Normally," she said, standing slowly and squaring herself completely to him. " _Normally_ , that embarrassment tactic would have worked on me." She wiped at the smudged make up under her eyes, cleaningg up her miserable looking visage to show him confidence. She glared unflinchingly at him and finished, "But everytime I think about how you sent THREE warriors to do YOUR dirty work- take YOUR revenge- I remember that it was I who beat you MYSELF! I shot you FIVE times! Me! Alone! You can say NOTHING that will embarrass me. Nothing."

Ultimecia smirked and let go of Golbez to clap slowly. "Bravo."

"Heh. Hehe. Hehehahaha!" Kefka shrieked.

Rosa spread her arms wide and took a low bow to him. "Now, think CAREFULLY about HOW you gloat," she said coldly.

The Emperor turned away from her to whack Kefka with his staff and glare Ultimecia into submission, then he continued. "Unfortunately, I knew it had to wait a few cycles before I would see affect, so that's what I did. I waited. I watched Chaos GRADUALLY weaken."

"BORING!" Kefka yelled, making everyone start.

"Yes, that didn't work, did it?" Rosa said. "How would that have helped you defeat both gods if you were allowing Cosmos to gain power?"

"Believe me," he replied, purple irises flaring, "she was not gaining power. Anything she gained at that point was sustenance, not power. Because of that my new plan was to capture Cosmos and have Ultimecia impersonate her, to gather intel as well as, ironically, do what Cosmos just did to him." He tapped Warrior's chest with his staff, circling the puncture wound with an eerie, sharp screaming squeal, like nails on a chalk board. "Attack all of you, then leave!"

"Stop it!" Rosa yelled, reaching for an arrow.

The Emperor gasped and crossed his staff in front of him in a block, immediately on edge, breathing heavily. Rosa smiled, rubbing the gold plume between her fingers, then dropped the arrow. He grudgingly did the same, continuing cautiously. "At the same time, for another little injection of fun, I had Golbez go after Kain so that he could control him. Another agent on the inside, acting as a traitor. I wanted to GUT your side, like a fish. With two little plots going on at once! Of course, as you know, that went wrong, so we had to settle for Cecil. When she lied to you and you planned to retrieve him, you got mad at her, and then you left Cosmos ALL. ALONE. while you looked for Cecil, playing into my hand. That's when I returned Cecil to you, and kidnapped Cosmos. One agent on the inside, the other in our clutches."

"But what about . . . " Firion started, piecing it all together himself. " . . . You knew she would lie to us, then?"

"Of course! I know the workings of the cycle far better than you ever will. I know how it actually works! I also know the gods' selfishness. I still had Ultimecia capture Cosmos, and when I told you to return to her for answers I aborted the impersonation mission. It had become extraneous. As fun as it would have been I knew it would endanger Ultimecia with all of you returning to accuse her. I _instead_ just held onto Cosmos."

"So that when you got back with Cecil, she wouldn't be there," Ultimecia sneered. "Hmph! I can only imagine what THAT rage looked like coming from you!"

"You made her look the coward," Cecil said, recalling how angry he actually was under the Darkness' influence.

"That's RIGHT!" Chef squealed. "Tell 'em what ELSE they did, Emperor!"

"I knew it would drive you back to ME of answers since I told you she wouldn't be back in the first place. Which it did. I goaded you further against her. Nothing I said was a lie, by the way. The only thing I omitted was _pretending_ to relinquish Golbez's control of Cecil so that we could force him to attack her when you left me. But like I said before, we didn't need that, either! She sealed her own fate, and your anger was mostly your own! It took a lot of trimming, as well as on the spot tweaking, and even THIS didn't go as well as I was planning. I was hoping you would KILL Cosmos, and make yourselves fade. No matter. The _emotional_ toll is worth watching. Cosmos is too weak to stop us now."

"What are you going to do?" Bartz asked.

Exdeath turned towards him and let a low, growling rumble of a chuckle shake his armor. "I should think it obvious now. One god is out of the picture. Not completely, but she is so weak she can be dispatched whenever we choose."

"You're going after Chaos?" Rosa asked.

"Correct, girl."

"Wait a SECOND!" Firion growled at them. "That's foolish! You wanted us to fade ourselves, what do you think'll happen to YOU? What even is your ultimate goal? What do you want?"

"We won't kill him, if that's what you're scared of. We will defeat Chaos, and with his OWN power, strike down the wretched Shinryu. I will take his place as LORD of the cycle!" he said. Ultimecia heard his slip and glared daggers at him, but he missed it, glaring his own daggers at Cosmos' warriors.

"U-hum, I HOPE you mean WE!" she said. You PROMISED us a piece of this paradise. If you lied, if we don't get our reward . . . " she threatened, ripping the arrow from Golbez's shoulder with magic and aiming it at the Emperor's forehead. he froze, not from the arrow, but because he recognized his blunder. His shoulder visibly tensed.

"Of course," he laughed, shaking his head. "Of course! Force of habit, slip of the tongue."

"Yes, because he's not used to sharing!" Firion said. "Watch your back," he warned them. "I don't care WHAT he promised you. He won't give it to you-"

"Silence!" the Emperor yelled. "Time Compression, the Void, destruction . . . ALL of this world will be OURS to do with as we please. Enjoy the time you have with your . . . _remaining_ friends," he said angrily. "It won't be long. Let's go, everyone. We have battle preparations to do."

One by one they left, Kefka sneaking in one last swift raspberry at Terra.


	58. Chapter 58

Blood dripped from everywhere, the arrow in Cosmos' shoulder, the gash on her chest, the cuts on her stomach, her side, her hand. Her whole dress turned different shades of pink, crimson, maroon, black, not pristine white anymore. The snow was white, but her blood was determined to taint it, too. Each drop that spilled leaked into the stuff like food coloring.

Her legs refused to hold her up anymore. They trembled, they disengaged, her ears began to ring and her head swam. She collapsed to her hands and knees and tried to brace herself against the black that crept up the edges of her vision, but her shaking arms failed her too, and she fell face-first into the snow. She stayed there with her eyes squeezed shut, waiting tensely for the episode to pass, or waiting for unconsciousness.

She knew she deserved it. What was she even thinking? Why in the WORLDS did she believe that was the way to a new cycle? Because of Ultimecia? Did Ultimecia set her up? No, she realized. Her wants were her wants. She _ruined_ this cycle. And she ruined every cycle for the foreseeable future, as long as someone from this group survived. Things would never be the same again. She had to do _something_ at the time. _Anything_.

But attacking 20 people?! What made her think she could win? What did she think would happen if she lost?

Gods, she was stupid.

She made a colossal mistake. It cost her her warriors, and nearly cost her her life.

 _"You deserve it. You_ killed _them_!" She chuckled miserably to herself as her vision opened back up and the sound of the wind returned to her ears. " _You were_ that _desperate? As soon as you lost you should've died_ with _them."  
_  
Her shot shoulder started throbbing, each pulse popping into her chest and hurting it, too. She was suddenly reminded that she needed first aid.

She quickly took stock of herself, inspecting all of her injuries. Flipping stiffly over onto her butt, she touched the shaft. It at least would move, but she made the tip scratch more of her flesh. She sucked in a breath and clamped her arm to her side until stinging subsided. She decided she could probably manage pulling it out.

Her dress clung stickily to her chest, the flaps of cloth around the cut gumming to the congealing blood and burnt skin from Squall's gun blade. Puffing up her chest as much as she could, she pinched the mucked cloth and had to peel it away from the wound, tearing skin and making fresh blood bead to the surface. As quickly as she could, she decided to tear it all at once, like a bandaid.

Worst decision ever.

She ripped it, her skin caught fire, ripping free itself around the cut. Cosmos screamed out and rolled over, pressing her chest to the snow. It was cold, blissful relief, soothing her burning skin as far along the cut as it could, with the arrow blocking her right shoulder. Rolling back over, she moved to her side, where Squall slashed it, too. Thankfully, it wasn't as deep as her chest's cut, mostly slicing only the first two layers of skin. It seeped, more so than bled anymore, the stuff creating a (thankfully) crusty seal around it that she knew would help it heal, since her dress wouldn't stick to it, too.

The arrow wound in her stomach was already closed over. Nothing to worry about there. Her one hand, lightly burnt from Cecil's Dark Knight, she dug deep in the snow to sooth it, and her other, cut smoothly by another of Rosa's arrows, she left go for a second to focus on other wounds. It felt hot and irritated, but was otherwise fine after a quick dip in the white powdery snow.

She decided to take care of the arrow first. She lifted a heavy arm to grab it, clumsily clutching at it and sending pain shooting from the tip. Sucking in a breath and holding it tightly, she slowly ripped it out, a little at a time; she didn't have the physical or emotional strength to do it all at once like her chest. The barbs made it difficult. She could feel them cutting into her muscle the opposite way, ripping flesh and making it bleed more. Cosmos didn't care. She just couldn't manage anything else.

A few centimeters pulled out before the shaft turned bloody, and finally, the top came free of her shoulder. She released the breath she held, collapsing flat against the cool snow. It soothed her hot, angry wounds and clammy skin, so she scooped up handfuls of it and packed it on top of her dress to numb the wounds, closing her eyes in relief.

Her eyes, slowly, painfully, slid open, but the harsh glare of sunlight on the glittering snow made them snap shut again. To bright. She didn't even try to peel them back open for a while, letting herself slip back in and out for an indiscernible amount of time.

Finally, she surfaced and was ready to face life. Before sleep could threaten to overtake her again, she went to rub her eyes. A stab of pain in her shoulder woke her right up instead. She shivered, stiff, sore, and cold, each one aggravating her closing wounds, but she couldn't get up, or even roll over. She tried to heal herself from the ground. Cosmos barely got her arm a few inches off he ground before the trembling was too much for her weakened muscles. She had to hold her hand over her shoulder with her wounded arm meeting on the ground. Searching deep within herself, she strained for the power to call upon. All she found was fatigue, and weakness. She was just too drained. There was no power left.

Her arm flopped back to her side, but continued to shake, as did her legs. She couldn't clench any part of her body without it hurting. At least the snow numbed her like she wanted. Looking down at herself, she saw the purple, yellow-ish bruises, red and black from blood, poking through her torn dress.

She couldn't heal herself, couldn't move, but she couldn't stay there, either. What did Ultimecia tell her? That the Emperor was going after Chaos? She couldn't risk him winning and going after Shinryu next.

She had to at least warn Chaos.

With that in mind, Cosmos mentally prepared herself, taking deep, bracing breaths. She counted herself down, then rolled over to her hands and knees, sore body GROANING in protest. She pushed herself up with one arm, SLOWLY straightening her elbow as much as she could. She forced her legs under her, whimpering in pain when a popping sound in her side told her the skin broke.

Cosmos stood up, body feeling jerky and robotic, hips and back creaking when she rose.

But, she was up. One milestone reached.

She took a cautionary, experimental step, and though her knees trembled she stayed conscious and upright. She couldn't teleport to Chaos herself. She had to find a Teleport Stone. There was one at the edge of the Elven Snowfields, she thought distantly. She ignored the blood trickling from her side and began the short-but-terribly-long trek to the stone, stopping a few short times to rest. After a ridiculously long and taxing hike she touched the stone and was whisked away.

"C-Chaos?" she asked as she walked hesitantly into his throne room. He was slumped to the side of his chair, fist pressed forcibly into his cheek on one throne arm, leg and tail kicked over the other.

At the sound of his name he perked up, lifting his head and sitting up straight.

"Cosmos?" he asked back incredulously, leaning forward and squinting at her like she was some unreal phantom. "Wow," he breathed, sitting back. "You look . . . awful. What happened to you?"

" . . . My warriors attacked me. Listen to me," she began. "I received word from-"

Chaos' loud, heaving laugh interrupted her harshly. "That's not what _I_ hear! Look at what this war has reduced us to!" he cried loudly, throwing his arms wide, all four of them. "Me, not with HALF of my old strength, and you, attacking your own warriors in desperation!"

Cosmos' eyes widened. "How do you . . . "

"Garland," he told her. "I have eyes and ears everywhere. Why, Cosmos," he said smoothly," you're shaking!"

At that moment, her legs decided to betray her and she fell. "Listen to me, Chaos!" she screamed harshly. His face fell in shock and she continued quickly, "The Emperor is planning to attack you."

"What else is new?" he said, waving one of his arms.

"You don't understand!" she said. "He plans on attacking Shinryu next-"

"Hahaha! As if he will EVER make it that far! Even with a _fraction_ of my power I could crush him like the worm he is. In actuality, I planned on destroying him the next time we met. It seems he's coming soon, if what you say is true!" he clasped his hands and tapped the tips of his thumbs together. "What were you expecting? To catch me off-guard? Shock me with this news of imminent rebellion? If only you _knew_ what goes on inside the ranks of Discord. He's been planning on defeating me for, oh, seven cycles? I've been watching, I've been waiting, I've been planning his downfall just as much as he's been planning mine. And I've been preparing. I am ready for him, Cosmos. You say his plan is Shinryu? Does he intend to 'Lord over this cycle?' Did _he_ turn your warriors against you? I know him. I know his every move. I've nothing to fear. He cannot defeat me. Even if he does, he'll be the one to fade as well, and I'll come back." He paused again, chuckling at the defeated face she made. "Your . . . concern for me is touching. Odd, uncalled for, but touching. Only, you severely overestimate him-"

"And you UNDERestimate him!" she cried.

" . . . He's under control. Get out of my sight."

She looked down at her wounds and Chaos looked too. They were gruesome, bloody, bruised, seeping, oozing, nasty. "C-could . . . I also came to ask . . . If I could . . . "

His laugh boomed again. "You want me to SHELTER you while you heal?! You jest! Does your shame know no bounds? Leave me, before I kill you myself."

He flicked his fingers in her direction, and Cosmos was knocked over onto her injured shoulder and side. She screamed out and shot to her fee,t wincing, raising her hands in a palm-up gesture of peace.

"Stop! Please, no!" She clutched at her shoulder. "Forgive me. I only wanted to protect us. You had best be prepared."


	59. Chapter 59

Kefka threw that raspberry at Terra's body, and Firion had enough. He grabbed his knife from his boot and, with the strip still cut, hurled it at him like a throwing knife. Of course, he missed.

" . . . What happens when a person dies in this world?" Rosa asked. "I . . . Have I been oblivious this whole time to a cycle? Have the signs been there, and I've been too . . . I don't know. I suppose since no one has died in my charge, and I've never _killed_ anyone myself . . . I couldn't have . . . "

"That doesn't matter now," Firion said as he fetched his knife. "We need to decide what to do about the Emperor."

"I'm just wondering if . . . if I had known from the start, if that would've changed anything. Changed the _way_ I reacted to things, the way we _all_ reacted." She thought about that first encounter with the Emperor, the emptiness and loss inside her now multiplied by the thousands when compared to the thrill of that battle. Everything was still on the line to her. She still had everything to lose. She thought about Cosmos healing her after Ultimecia, Kefka, and Exdeath brutally beat her. Obviously she wasn't expendable to Cosmos then. Now worthless to her, worthless to the cycle. She felt directionless, empty. A simple _piece_ of knowledge could do that? Could change the entire cycle. Could drive a goddess to betrayal that quickly. This world really was that fragile.

How had she herself been changed? By that simple ground-breaking bit of knowledge? How _would_ she react now?

"We all have changed," Cecil said. Rosa looked up quickly and he smiled, raising a calming hand to her. "You were thinking aloud."

"I've changed," she agreed. "I have all my memories. As I pick through them, there's a rang of emotion: happiness, love, passion, fear, terror, determination, dread. One thing that is missing is hatred. I can't remember ever HATING anything or anyone, merely our situation. But that is a different kind of hatred." She looked at the dead warriors, a grotesque and unnatural sight, and tears sprang to here eyes again. "But now?" she said, voice cracking. "I HATE the Emperor." Rosa's defenses broke down, hr anger and pain festering in her chest. Her heart physically _hurt_ , and though the tears came calmly and steadily, it didn't do her heart justice. It wasn't enough to properly vent. She pressed a hand to her chest, so roughly her own nails bit into her skin and imagined ripping it out right then and there. It would be less painful. "I. HATE. HIM!" she screamed as loud as she could. Still not enough. It didn't change anything. It didn't bring her friends back.

Cecil wrapped his arms around her, but she roughly shook him off. Comfort wasn't what she wanted. She _wanted_ to hurt something.

Better yet, some _one_.

"You wanna know what we should do about the Emperor?" she asked, turning to everyone. She chuckled at its simplicity. "KILL him! We need to get to Chaos before he does. Or, if we're too late, we need to _help_ Chaos. Oh, don't look at me like that!" she snapped at Cecil. He abruptly shut his mouth but left the troubled expression on his face.

"Somehow, I don't thinkChaos will take kindly to our help," Squall muttered.

"I don't care."

Firion shook his head. "No, he means Chaos'll _kill_ us as soon as we're done with the Emperor."

"Firion?" Rosa asked, leveling her expression to his. "I. Don't. Care," she countered evenly. "I. want. the Emperor. DEAD!" she screamed to finish the sentence. "If Chaos attacks, we kill him, too. Any objections?"

"Um, yeah! Yeah! I object!" Bartz yelled, standing up from Zidane. "I'm a hundred percent with you on the burning revenge. But we're wounded. We're tired! Our weapons are broken. We have . . . " he swallowed thickly, "nearly HALF the numbers we had before, and some us STILL can't even fight! I _know_ you're upset. Don't make the mistake of thinking you're the _only_ one here that is, though," Bartz said. "So, cool your jets, calm your chocobos, take a day to regroup. One day should be enough with how powerful your magic is. We can go to the Cornelia Plains, get new weapons, buy items. Pre-PARE! And then, yeah, sure, let's NAIL the bastard!"

Rosa still had anger left to spare, but she knew Bartz was right. She sighed defeatedly, actually _feeling_ like someone dunked her in ice water. She submitted bitterly. "One day. Then we're hunting him down, and we're destroying him." She looked to Firion for support and he nodded once, though it lacked the normal fire he probably would have had.

She switched gears, turning to the fallen. "How are they revived again?"

"Shinryu, the Emperor's target, comes at the end of each cycle and collets them, absorbing some of their power. He returns a majority of it back to them," Light said dully, "but at the cost of their memories."

"That's why, when you wake, you've lost all of it," Kain said, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately, after so many defeats, some have no more strength left to give Shinryu. That, or their bodies are too badly damaged to fully repair. He takes them for himself forever, depositing them in the Rift."

"So it's a waiting game," she said sullenly. Before she could help herself she looked down the line trying to gauge which applied to who, if any of them. She quickly shook her head of it. "One day," she reminded them. "Garnet and I'll keep healing everyone. Tomorrow we'll all set out and get our weapons repaired, then we're off."

* * *

At the top floor of Pandaemonium, the Emperor sat in his throne watching Kefka, Ultimecia, and Exdeath, banter back and forth mindlessly. So close. He was so close to Chaos. Just one last thing to take care of before he left.

Ultimecia scoffed at something Kefka said, then turned away and stood next to his throne.

"I know Firion's right," she muttered.

"What?" he asked cooly. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He just wanted to keep her talking.

"I know you have no intention of sharing your spoils," she said. "I _know_ that as soon as this is over, you're going to attack us."

"Do you?" he asked, mildly amused.

"You have them fooled," she said, cocking her head towards Kefka and Exdeath, "but not me. Just know," she threatened darkly, leaning into him and delicately drawing a long, purple claw down his cheek. She kept learning closer until her lips brushed his ear for emphasis. "I will be prepared," she breathed. "And I will end you."

The Emperor knew this was it. Now was the time. He twisted in his chair, shot his hand out and snatched Ultimecia's face around her chin. His grip was so tight his own claws dug into her mashed cheeks. She tried to pull away as the Emperor turned his face slowly to look at her, but he squeezed tighter. "You know, you keep _saying_ that," he said. Confusion, fear, and pain flicked in her eyes beneath his grip and he stood from his throne, walking her backwards into the wall next to it. "Threatening me. Pressuring me to follow through with my word. _As if I had ANY intention of including you in the first place_!" he said directly into her face. She grabbed his wrist with one had and moved to cast with her other, but the Emperor jabbed it with his staff, pinning it to the wall.

"Ulty!" Kefka yelled.

Before he could move the Emperor planted a Dreary Cell around them, pinning the two of them in place. He unleashed his power, morphing into the Emperor of Hell with a flash.

His hair shrank and changed, molding together and shifting to the top of his head in the form of purple and yellow snakes. With a shudder in his scalp and brain the snakes came alive, hissing and spitting. The horns on his head rippled on top of his skin while it harder around his new face. His jaw elongated to make room for hundreds of tiny, sharp fangs that grew every which way out of his maw. His eyes glowed a deep, eerie yellow from the power, jutting grotesquely from his forehead around his short nose.

His muscles grew and swelled, and he towered a foot or two above the struggling Ultimecia, who grew more frantic beneath the man of Hell before her.

Her mouth opened as much as it could with him squeezing it. He called upon his power, allowing it to mass and culminate in his chest until he felt it would burst. He shot it down his arm into Ultimecia's face in the form of black and purple lightning. It hit her, and he was able to feel her power, red and black and purple, pulsing inside of her from adrenaline and fear. He mixed his with hers; at first her power fought back. He could feel the little bursts of resistance like explosions on his skin, pops and bursts of fire the made his fingers jerk, but finally they mixed until their power was one and the same. Her yellow, cat-like eyes squeezed shut in pain, and the Emperor withdrew, regaining his power and hers as they entered him again. He sucked her power dry, and she was swallowed up in a cloud of black, fading away until she was gone completely.

Time magic, mixed with his own powers of Hell. Now to claim the Void and black magic.

He slowly turned on Exdeath and Kefka. **  
**


	60. Chapter 60

"I'll take first round," Rosa told Garnet and Yuna. "You two can rest up for now, save your strength. As soon as I'm finished I'll come get one of you. Kain, Tifa, Zack, Bartz, the four of you should go find a Moogle, preferably Cid, and buy new weapons and items. Even barter if you have to," she ordered smoothly. "Go around, find out what everyone needs." Rosa dug into the purple pouch on her belt and pulled out six Gil, handing it to Bartz. "Here. This is all I have, but take a little from everyone."

The four of them headed off, so Rosa spun and made her way over to Lightning first.

"And me?" Cecil asked, trailing behind her. "I'm well enough to go with Kain."

"If you think I'm letting you out of my sight even for a moment, you are horribly, horribly mistaken," Rosa countered evenly. Whether he was conscious of it or not his face twisted into a child-like pout. He opened his mouth to protest but Rosa spoke to Light instead, cutting him off. "How's your shoulder?"

"Stiff. Sore," Light said bitterly. "Since you wouldn't let me work it out."

"Is that all?" Rosa asked her just as nastily. "If so, I could have this better by the time we move out tomorrow. Unfortunately, I've found that unwarranted snark could increase healing time by, oh, maybe a whole _extra_ day. You better watch it." She glared hard at Lightning as she undid the knot of her sling.

"Rosa-" Cecil began incredulously.

"It's fine," Light said, just as terse, but with less attitude. "It's just a little stiff, and a little sore."

Rosa nodded, pressing her hand to Light's shoulder. She muttered a Curaga, enveloping Light in the soft, green glow before pulling away. "The wound itself is fully healed. The dislocation. It's been resting an hour or two, that's well enough with magic." She put another Curaga on it. "NOW you can move it around. Make sure you stretch it. By the time the other two heal you, you should have full range of motion."

She stood without another word and saw to Cloud next, making her way to him, Cecil again in tow.

"I promise you, I'm fine," he assured her like they weren't interrupted, still trying to get her to relent.

"I will not lose you again, Cecil," she told him matter-of-factly.

"Rosa-"

"Ok," Bartz interrupted, running up to her with a pile of Gil in his cupped hands. "We got a new shield and knives for Firion, some items - potions, ethers, elixirs, the like - a new chest plate for Cecil it looks like," he said, pointing to the charred, jagged hole in Cecil's armor. "We're also gonna get everyone's weapons sharpened, if we have enough Gil. Do you need anything?"

"More arrows," she quipped. "Hurry back with the supplies. If we have enough Gil for the weapons we'll send them out in shifts. Did you check . . ." she began. Bart's face dropped and he nodded solemnly.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Zidane had a lot on him. That's where we got a lot of it."

"Ok. Good."

"Yeah. We'll be back." He cocked his head towards the distance, and his little entourage took off.

She turned back to Cloud and sighed exasperatedly.

"What?" Cecil asked. "You're being very rude! Bartz and Light didn't do anything-"

"You KNOW that's not why I'm upset! You KNOW I chide at this waiting!" She reached Cloud and knelt over him, Cecil doing the same on his other side. She checked the bandages and saw that most of the blood had dried to them. The bruise was still disgustingly yellow, green, purple, and red, but at least the cuts stopped bleeding.

Rosa peeled the end of the wrap away from it, then ripped the rest away. After an instant Curaga, she took a good look at it. All the gashes were mostly closed; only the deepest one still seeped.

"Rushing into this isn't the answer, either! Can you imagine Cloud dragging himself into a battle with the Emperor? I bet he can't even lift his arm, let alone his Buster Sword right now."

Rosa dutifully ignored him, using a small Cura and tracing a finger along the cut to try and close it completely. The wound didn't want to cooperate, still too large and angry for magic. Another hour or two with bandages and he would be alright, she predicted. As if on cue his eyes fluttered open and he gasped in pain. His eyebrows furrowed and the corners of his lips twisted into a sneer, he instinctually twisted uncomfortably, and Rosa quickly patted his chest lightly to get his attention.

"Cloud? Don't move, ok? You're injured, and I don't want the wound to tear until I bandage it, ok?"

He nodded stiffly, swallowing thickly, and while Cecil gave him a bit of water Rosa put a patch of gauze on the scratch and taped it down to his skin. It would hurt to pull off later, but he didn't need a full wrap anymore. She healed a bit more of the bruise, but it only retreated a centimeter or two.

Time to move on.

She got up to find Squall, and she saw him working both of his arms gingerly. He met eyes with her and she pointed to him, then signed a thumbs up, "You alright?"

He nodded, giving her a thumbs up in return. She held up the roll of bandages, asking him to check the one she put on his shoulder. He opened his jacket and showed her. She nodded her approval at the clean bandage and gave him another thumbs up. She could fully heal him at the end of her shift.

Who else needed help, Tidus? No, he was fine. She saw Firion out cold in the water. Not injured, but sleeping. Exhausted from his battle with Cosmos. She decided to heal him so he wouldn't be so sore when he woke up. As she went over Cecil continued to pester her.

"I know you're upset. We all are! We all want to end his schemes as much as you do. But Bartz was smart to suggest-"

"I know he was."

"Then why-"

"Cecil, please. I've got work to do. I've got Firion, Squall, then I'll look at your side. Until then, go sit down and relax. Conserve your strength.

"I'm fine," he said. "That's why I want-"

"You are not. going. anywhere. That's final. You're not going to be their target again. Neither am I." Rosa wanted to move as fast as she could though the last two, anxious and eager to lay down and sleep. It was finally catching up to her, she noticed. Her legs were feeling strained and heavy, she couldn't bring herself to move very fast to the others, she just wanted to _lay. down_. She lifted up onto her toes and planted a swift kiss to his cheek, healed Firion from where she was, and set off for Squall. His healing was quick, nothing more than a single, quick Curaga to his whole shoulder, and to his scratch. She ripped the bandage away and traced it with her finger, filling it with green, healing magic. It smoothly closed completely over, and finally, she caught up with Cecil.

She knelt behind where he was sitting and unclasped his chest plate, setting it and his cape aside. She folded the cotton undershirt away from his back and curled it up over his shoulders, exposing his side and bare back. Riddled with scars, battle-aged, rough skin peppered his back and she absently traced them with her finger, oddly mesmerized by the experienced feeling it gave his young frame. She remembered how most of them got there, though some were unfamiliar, probably from his time in the cycles. It made her think of her own scars. Her own experience. It was an odd thing. Wisdom and experience only work in hindsight. At least, in passive situations. You don't feel it accumulating. You don't immediately FEEL it clinging to you, changing you. Only when you look back do you notice it. And then you miss it. You see how you were back then and you miss the innocence and you miss the blindness. Because at least it didn't HURT to be blind. Wisdom scarred. Wisdom hurt. Sometimes more than the pain of gaining the wisdom.

She felt him shudder, and she looked up, meeting eyes with him over his shoulder. She managed a small smile, moving her hand to his side to heal it. Two small spells closed it up, and she helped him pull down his shirt.

"I need to go switch with Yuna," she said, standing. She strolled slowly to the mage, nodding to her as soon as they made eye contact. Finally, _blissfully_ , she hurried back to Cecil and settled down next to him. He wrapped his arm around her and she snuggled next to him, pressing her back into his chest. "I'm not mad at you," she said over her shoulder to him. "I'm sorry. You're right about all of it. I'm just being unreasonable."

"I know you're not mad at me. And I understand why you're restless. I am too. And I'm sorry, too."

She closed her eyes and slept there next to him until it was time to go.


	61. Chapter 61

A day after Cosmos thought to warn him, Chaos sensed the Emperor entering the gateway to the Edge of Madness.

The time had come. Time to end him.

Actually eager with anticipation, Chaos heaved himself from his throne and paced anxiously, willing the Emperor to get there as fast as he could to get it over with.

Suddenly, Ultimecia, Exdeath, and Kefka's auras reached him too, but he brushed them aside.

He could still crush all four of them.

* * *

"Rosa," Cecil whispered, shaking her gently.

Her green eyes opened slowly, vibrant with new life and purpose, and she smiled beautifully up at him. He smiled back and held his hand out to her. "Time to go," he said.

He watched the natural, bright glow darken quickly into determination and terrible focus, and as she grabbed his hand, he could sense the vitality it gave her. He hated that the prospect of revenge was her driving force now. Not home, like it used to be.

Then again, where was his determination coming from?

Bartz gave her the arrows they bought, she strapped the quiver to her back, slid the staff underneath it put the knife in her belt, and nodded to him.

They set off for the Edge of Madness.

* * *

Closer and closer the four of them drew, and Chaos watched tensely for them to appear. The feeling of their power grew ominously larger the closer they came, and second thoughts threatened to scare the god out of confrontation. With his limited power could he really . . .

No. He had to destroy them. The Emperor was done here. Forever.

The black flash announcing their presence emanated from where they appeared, and Chaos couldn't keep an evil grin at bay. What he saw emerge from the cloud, however, made his smirk abruptly vanish.

It was a monster. It's face was a disgusting, ashen grey, with a short, pig-like nose and glowing yellow eyes. Purple and red tattoos, warped into a deep navy by the hard skin, wrapped from his eyebrows and up. Tracing what would've been his hairline, they then wrapped down and in to the corners of his mouth, stretched grotesquely to fit a full, gaping maw of crooked, sharp fangs. Ultimecia's griever wolf sat atop his head, but the usual red tendrils that protruded from the head were huge, gigantic, writhing, snapping snakes. From the sides were small, odd fins, and a set of horns from all of them: Ultimecia, thick, silver, and tipped on the end, Exdeath, thick, hard and curled widely up, and all three sets from the Emperor's former appearance. They all fit snugly into each other.

His usual purple and yellow armor donned shades of mustard, silver, and black. He seemed to bulge out of it, muscles and fingers constantly twitching and jumping involuntarily from the POWER pulsing inside of him. New skirts, seemingly made of roots, courtesy of Exdeath, wrapped around his black legs. Three sets of wings protruded unnaturally from his back, cracking the skin around their juncture. Ultimecia's crow wings, flexing and spreading of their own volition, and both Kefka's angel and demon wings below.

Chaos took an involuntary step back despite himself, and the monster before him laughed silently, shoulders heaving.

"What . . . are you?" Chaos stammered, staring in horrified awe.

"I. Am." it enunciated slowly. The mouth didn't move. The Emperor's voice was the main root, but the voice also purred like Ultimecia and droned like Exdeath and squealed like Kefka. "Heaven and Hell. I. Am. The Void. I. Am. Time itself. I. Am. Destruction. I. Am. Your. End."

Galvanized into action by fear, Chaos charged the beast before him. His claws raked through the air to scratch him, and the god started in surprise as he swung through he Emperor's form. He resubstantialized exactly where he was, so Chaos spun through, whipping this tail around as fast as he could to hit the Emperor. He reached up and nonchalantly grabbed it, stopping it cold. The Emperor hefted his staff and jabbed his exposed ribs like a spear, and Chaos wheezed in pain, jerking away.

He waved his hand wildly to throw him into the wall. The same way he embarrassed him all those cycles ago. To his dismay, the Emperor was ready. He swept his staff to the side, blocking Chaos' magic, and launched a counter attack. He send a chain of Thundaga at the god and Chaos dodged, worming out of the way. He straightened up with a barrage of fire balls prepared, but the Emperor teleported right in front of him. Chaos threw a desperate right hook to his jaw, hoping to disorient him, but the Emperor's head didn't even move from the force. He shoved Chaos back with a force field of his own, pushing the god straight into a pair of bombs he planted.

They exploded in bursts of arrows, shooting red and black knives into Chaos like Bouncing Betties. He caught most of them in his right side, each one bursting into Thunders the instant they touched his skin. The shocks shot through his whole body, firing like bullets up into his head. His vision went black and he collapsed, unable to do anything but writhe as electricity fried his nerves and scrambled his brain. Before he could recover the Emperor formed four of Ultimecia's purple arrows, cloaked in Kefka's flame, and shot them at him on the ground. He rolled to the side, each one stabbing into the floor where his head was moments before. Chaos quickly climbed to his hands and knees, but as he held himself up he felt his arms shaking.

"Feeling weak?" the Emperor asked him in his eerie voice. "With each attack I land Exdeath's Void drains a bit of your power and absorbs it into me!" He laughed, and Kefka's hyena laugh took precedence, echoing all around.

Chaos' anger flared as he realized what that meant. He roared at the Emperor, filling his chest with as much rage of Discord as he could muster. Cloaking himself in fire, he dove at the man, fangs and claws bared to tackle him. He barreled straight into the Emperor's stomach, driving him back to the wall, but he slammed his staff to the ground. A black, crackling, hissing, spitting Voided mass opened in the air behind Chaos. It sucked him in, strong enough to haul him off of the Emperor. He thrashed and flailed in the air, but there was nothing to grab on to to keep him away from the black hole. He was pulled into the blackness. It clogged his senses, blocking sight and warping his sound, completely disorienting him. Stabbed him wherever it touched him like a thousand pricking needles ripping him apart from the inside out and drawing his power. He sucked in a gasped breath of it and could feel it draining him, choking him. As soon as he remembered that he could he teleported out, hitting the ground hard on his back. He dizzily tried to orient himself in the violent, orange light, looking around frantically for the Emperor. Spotting the monster (though more than one, he admit). Chaos clumsily hauled himself to his hands and knees, shooting his own fire balls at what he thought was the Emperor.

He used one of Exdeath's shields, the red patterned one, and the spinning, flashing colors made Chaos more dizzy. Hoping to interrupt any attack he may throw, Chaos planted columns of flames all around the Emperor. Hoping to distract him. Hoping to trap him, close him in. While the columns erupted around the Emperor, Chaos leapt into the air, opening three portals around the Emperor. He watched the monster try and use his wings to evade, but Chaos made the pillars close in, searing and singeing the feathers. He dropped to the ground, smacking his chest haird off the ground. Chaos grinned triumphantly and formed three huge, flaming swords. He launched them as hard as he could through the portal and they stabbed not the Emperor.

Chaos lost sight of him - there was too much fire around him. He instead teleported above the pre and the smell of burnt flesh penetrated his nostrils. With a proud cry he raised all four arms above his head, slapping one last sword down into the flame. He landed a ways away and watched the flames clear, admiring his noble work. To his horror, the Emperor was still standing there, smoking. The flames hadn't even charred him. In fact, he was laughing.

The god embarrassingly tried to quiet and calm his heavy breathing.

He was growing weak.

The Emperor was only toying with him.

* * *

He grinned confidently, sadistically in Chaos' face as the attack did little more than stagger him. He spread his arms and wings wide, a threatening and gloating display of his power. He saw the fear he struck in the eyes of the god of Discord and he reveled in it.

"What's wrong?" he growled. "I thought you planned for this! For me!"

He was _finally_ going to have what he was due.

Chaos stared open-mouthed at him for a moment, then sunk into the floor out of view, as if to surprise him with an attack. What a fool.

The Emperor was completely in control.

He watched the little pool of orange and black darkness slide across the floor towards him. He timed it using Ultimecia's sense, and at the last second teleported to the side. Chaos shot past him into the air, spiraling up in a column of flame. The Emperor leaned away, cheeks and eyes singeing from the heat. Thinking he gained an advantage, Chaos shot a mental attack at him, trying to immobilize him. The spell jolted his mind and tingled in his muscles, but it lacked the strength to actually hold him in place. He smirked at the pathetic effort, forming a huge piece of ice between his hands. He tossed it up and hit it like a baseball, swinging his staff like a bat.

Chaos turned away in the air and the spell rocketed into his shoulder, hurling him face-first into the wall.

"My, my, Chaos!" the Emperor sneered. "How weak you've become!"

He growled in pain, but brought his legs up and kicked off the wall, flipping backwards and sending a desperate wave of fire in his wake. The Emperor teleported safely away, so Chaos dropped to the ground close to him and quickly executed his Condemn attack in an attempt to draw the Emperor towards him and harm him _somehow_. But the Emperor called upon Ultimecia's power. He raised his palm to the god and screamed, "Halt!" trapping Chaos in a frozen pocket of time.

"The monstrous god of Discord, reduced to a pathetic, whimpering MESS!"

His attack dissipated as the god wiggled and squirmed, and the Emperor watched him like a bug struggling in a spider's web. He drew a purple glyph in the air next to the god, shooting Exdeath's Delta Attack from it. It punched a hole in Chaos' stomach, and thick black sludge bled from the wound.

"So even Chaos itself bleeds?" he jeered, his final jest.

Calling upon Ultimecia's power, he unleashed her final attack, planning to end it there and then. He inverted time and space, flipping the world on itself to call her arrows. All around the two of them the little purple missile appeared, all pointing to Chaos, hungrily leaning towards him to drain the last of his power. The Emperor smiled as sickly-sweet as he could in Chaos' face and held his arm out, snapping his fingers int he god's face. The arrows launched at him, but at the last second Chaos burst through the magic. He twisted in the air and whirled around, catching the Emperor unexpectedly in the chest with his tail.

The breath knocked out of him in a _WHOOSH_ and he crashed into he wall, actually dazed. As the world righted itself he rapidly blinked away the tears and shook his head, gasping in huge, rasping breaths that painfully entered his lungs.

Damn. Chaos definitely cracked ribs.

As he slid to the floor, Chaos cocked his head curiously. "Cosmos' warriors . . . ?" he breathed, panting himself.

"They won't help you," the Emperor managed.

Chaos hissed through his teeth and spread his arms, orange, crackling, hot power glowing in his palms. When it charged he pushed all four hands together and shot a wide ray at the Emperor, catching his stomach. His feet were knocked out from under him and his chest hit the floor hard. He swore he heard those ribs break and stinging, sharp, prickly pain burst in his chest like fireworks. Chaos ran over on all fours and stood up, kicking him over onto his back. Horrible, crippling agony in his chest made him curl in on himself, immobile for a moment while it passed. He coughed wetly, painfully, and little flecks of blood spattered the ground in front of him. The god picked up his foot to stomp on his face, but the Emperor wisely teleported away to his feet. To his own surprise he staggered, and it was Chaos' turn to smile.

He could not let Chaos injure him any more.

Time to end it.

He let his staff float around him, circling faster and faster until a tornado whirled around him, blocking him completely. From inside the maelstrom he let blue and yellow Flares shoot out at the god. He was forced to violently dodge and block, and while he twisted and swatted through the attacks, the Emperor waded closer and closer. A lion stalking its prey. A lithely at. He was the top of the food chain now.

The tornado reached Chaos and the Emperor burst through it, grabbing Chaos' throat. He used a surge of his physical strength, hauling Chaos into the air. Kefka's Light of Judgement shot from the clouds straight through Chaos. He then called Exdeath's Grand Cross, and while they circled around him, sucking his power, he crushed the god with a Neo Almagest. He smashed the Void around him, smashed and swallowed Discord itself. Teleporting above the god, smacking him with his staff, knocking Chaos on his back to the ground. Touching down, standing above Chaos, straddling him, leering down into his face.

He won.

He raised the bottom of his staff over Chaos' chest to plunge down and become Discord itself.

"Emperor!" he heard, interrupting him.

He snapped towards the startling sound of his name and saw it came from Rosa.

Oh, PERFECT! She could witness this.

"How nice to see you!" he said gleefully.

She grimaced at the sight of him, actually taking a step back when her eyes traveled across his new body. The others looked just as disgusted. He chuckled.

Returning his attention to Chaos he raised his staff and stabbed it straight down into the god's heart.

Discord rushed into him, joining his body with the rest of his stolen power.


	62. Chapter 62-1

"Sh! Do you hear that?" Cecil asked, scanning the voided, empty horizon. Despite them being in a gateway, and despite not hearing anything herself, Rosa was immediately on edge - well, more on edge than she had been all day. She notched an arrow but kept her bow down, scanning and listening with them.

"What are we listening for-" Tidus asked as the rest of the group quieted down.

"Shh!" Rosa and Cecil both hissed at him at the same time. Seeing how tense they were, some of the others' hands crept towards their weapons, too, and they sat in the silence. Nothing but the bubbling of lava and the occasional hiss of steam permeated the tense silence. As each second built so did the stress, like something was going to jump out at them.

"Well, are we in danger or something-"

"TIDUS!" they shouted. He put his arms up in surrender and they listened to the thick, tangible silence.

Suddenly, distantly, they heard an explosion. Softly, like it was carried to them on the breeze.

"There! Did you hear it?" Cecil asked. Rosa nodded, but she couldn't pinpoint its location. It seemed to be able to be heard from every angle, filling the whole space. A few seconds later they heard another low boom and the ground trembled, like something big hit the floor.

"What floor is this?" she asked anybody, hoping someone had an answer.

"Ummmm, eighth," Bartz said.

"Is . . . is that a _battle_?" Cecil asked. A deep, chesty ROAR reached them, even clearer than the explosions.

" _That_ was Chaos," Tifa said.

Rosa gasped, a shock spreading through her and propelling her forward towards the next floor's doorway.

"Rosa?" Cecil questioned, taking off after her.

"The _Emperor_ 's attacking Chaos!" she explained, screaming over her shoulder. "We can't let him win! Come on! We have to stop him!"

She turned back around and touched the stone, whether they were behind her or not. As soon as her feet touched the ground of the 9th floor she booked for the last one, looking back once. Cecil was right behind her, catching up. He was the only one. She cut around manikins left and right, dodging attacks, fling weapons, and crystalline-shaped magic without breaking stride. They even tried to grab at her and stop her from reaching Chaos quickly but she pulled her knife and slashed wherever she saw fit, severing sharp crystal all over.

She breezed through the top two floors, explosions, the crackling of flames, growls, and battle cries growing louder and louder the closer she drew. Listening to the noises, it sounded like he brought Kefka, Exdeath, and Ultimecia with him. A quick flash of fear made her slow down. With four of them, did Chaos really stand a chance? What if when they got there, Chaos was dead? What if the Emperor already won?

That was what made her stomach twist in painful knots, made her chest skip a breath and her heart skip a beat, made heavy dread and fear weigh down her limbs and trick her arrows into hesitation. That was her biggest concern. Everything she went through, the first encounter with the Emperor, her survival of Kefka, Exdeath, and Ultimecia's attack, Cecil's struggles, regaining her memory, Golbez's betrayal, Cosmos' attack . . . Warriors _died_. If he won, it was all for nothing.

Her slower, momentarily cautious pace allowed Cecil to catch up. Feeling his strong presence and warmth beside her, hearing his breathing and stride fall in time with hers, suddenly calmed her. It grounded her, pushing away the negativity and nervous jitters until she regained her quick pace.

Floor ten flew by, and as the two of them touched the last stone, the steps up to the Edge of Madness loomed above them. Together, in sync, they pressed the last meters of the steps, right as Chaos slammed down to the ground. The Emperor floated gently down and leaned down over the beast.

"Emperor!" she screamed to draw his attention. The lack of annoying jeers from Kefka and the others confused her, and she looked around numbly for them. Until she finally caught a good look at the Emperor.

He was a sick, mutilated, grey concoction of all four - himself, Kefka, Ultimecia, and Exdeath. She grimaced and instinctually withdrew from the horrible creature before her. His skin was a ghastly, leathery grey, ashen and dead. He had fangs jutting from every inch of his mouth, pinching his nose up. He had five sets of horns from his comrades, the eyes of Ultimecia's griever glowed eerily yellow. Snakes writhed and hissed atop his head, and tattoos and brand new, tattered skirts adorned his armor.

He was disgusting.

The Emperor stared hard at her face, then his eyes glowed with amusement. "How nice to see you!" he said.

She flinched away again from the voice, piercing and sharp, dotted with Kefka, Exdeath, and Ultimecia's voices.

He sneered at her, some of his fangs clicking together, then he turned back to Chaos, raising his staff high above his head.

"Don't-!" Rosa yelled. She raised her bow and shot blindly, at least to distract him. It failed, and the Emperor drove the bottom of his staff straight into Chaos' heart. "NO!" Rosa screamed, running towards them, but a hot gust of air blew her back, and she had to shield her face and eyes from it.

The Emperor's staff started to glow, red and black flames pulsing all up and down the length of it, transferring all the powers of Discord from Chaos into him. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, basking in Chaos' immeasurable power as it was sucked from the god. A deep black circle began forming around the writhing god on the floor. Chaos opened his mouth in one last, silent scream of despair and pain before sinking, bloody and twitching, into the floor. As the last bits of power flowed into the Emperor his body tipped forward, doubled over in sudden, flaring agony. He opened his mouth and a terrified scream of torture wrenched itself from his throat. "AUGH - AAAUUURRGH!"

His ribs cracked once again, and with each popping sound he jerked violently, entire chest bulging further. Suddenly his body contorted on both sides. He twisted up, back arching as grey tendrils elongated like an octopus uncurling its legs. The ends swelled until five clawed fingers popped from it and took form, and his two new growths fortified into Chaos' other set of arms. The Emperor's agony ended and he slumped forward to his hands and knees, chuckling ominously.

"Heh. Heheh. HehehahahaHAHAHAAAAA!" Heavy footfalls reached the steps of the Edge of Madness - the other warriors catching up - and the Emperor shook his finger at Rosa and Cecil, the first two on the scene. "No, no," he scolded. "This is a PERSONAL matter!" He flicked his finger like he was beckoning her forward and a force stabbed into her spine, jerking her forward. "Me, and YOU!" Cecil surged forward and snatched her hand, trying to haul her away, but he was just pulled forward too. With his other hand the Emperor waved towards the stairs, right as the front of the group started to clear the top. The barrier re-solidified, closing in a spiral of Hexagons, glowing as they closed off the Edge of Madness to the rest of the warriors.

Kain reached the top first and crouched down, charging a Jump. At the last second he released it, torpedoing through the shrinking hole. He rolled to his feet, and straightened up, hesitating at the sight of the creature. Staring at the trio before him, the Emperor tossed his head back and laughed.

"Oh, how PERFECT!" he screamed in delight, "that YOU three, you pesky, insufferable SWINE, you incessant imbeciles, you three, the BANES of my existence since you ARRIVED," he yelled, pointing to Rosa, "who have FAULTED and RUINED my plan cycle after cycle, would volunteer to die first! This day really is a treat, indeed!"

Rosa shot an arrow at him and with a simple flick of his eyes he deflected it back at Cecil. Luckily he ducked out of the way.

"You can't be serious!" the Emperor/Ultimecia/Exdeath/Kefka said, glaring incredulously at her. "Do you SEE the power I possess?" He casually waved his hands and Cecil's spear ripped out of his grip, flying towards Kain. He sidestepped, then parried the counter, holding a heavy block. Rosa fired at the Emperor again, making him block, and Cecil's weapon _clattered_ to the floor. "And you STILL want to fight?" he continued. "Do you remember all that I promised you, Rosa? Do you _remember_ our first encounter, when your stunning beauty startled even me? Do you _remember_ all the things I promised you, power? Rule? Dominion? Look at me! Do you _see_ all that you missed out on, opting for destruction?! This is it! THIS is POWER!"

The Emperor pointed his staff at them, and yellow Flares circled around all three of them. Rosa reached to slide her own staff from her back to try and protect them. But it was just a decoy to distract her. While her attention broke, the Emperor surged forward and slammed his shoulder into her, throwing her backwards. He kicked Cecil away in the stomach and shot a continual barrage of arrows for Kain to block, then picked Rosa up by the throat. She kicked weakly and struggled, but he pinned her down with Exdeath's magic. He used one of Chaos' arms, pointing his hand palm-down to hold Cecil down while he taunted Rosa.

"Now," he said into her face, "you're going to get a taste of everything you missed out on. I'm going to kill you!" he sneered, hauntingly cheery. "But before you die, you're going to watch me GUT them like FISH!" She couldn't move, so she defiantly averted her eyes. His arm shot out and snatched her face, and he painfully twisted her neck to look at him. She squeaked pathetically in pain before she could bite it back, embarrassingly letting her pain and fear momentarily show. "Do you understand?" he continued quickly, crazed with the control he had. "As soon as you're all within an inch of your lives, I'll think of something VERY creative to do to your husband! Maybe I'll pry his mouth open and shove one of your arrows down his throat! Maybe I'll stab some of Exdeath's power into him, and rip him apart from the inside out! Either way, I'll think of something. Say goodbye now. You won't get a chance later."

He quickly leaned in and pressed what was left of his lips to hers. His fangs stabbed into her cheeks and lips, painfully cutting and tearing up her face, and she squeezed her eyes shut and screamed in pained rage as she couldn't pull away.

He let his magic slip while he kissed her, though, so with all her strength she curled her legs up and planted her boots to his already injured chest, kicking him back with her heels. He cried out, letting her go and staggering back, clutching at his chest. While Cecil clamored to his feet Rosa drew her whole forearm and back of her hand across her face hard, smearing blood and saliva on her face, growling in rage through her teeth.


	63. Chapter 62-2

The Emperor straightened up, glared angrily at her, and charged her, but Kain attacked him from behind. He turned to parry with his staff, and Rosa and Cecil ran in together. Waving another hand, Ultimecia's Apocalypse attacks began appearing all around them like land mines. Rosa dove to the left, breaking away from Cecil to dodge the Pentagram that appeared beneath her. She jumped up and fired an arrow, but it flew wide as she flipped backwards out of the way of another.

Between dodges she watched Kain swing at the Emperor. He let his form shudder, becoming partially substantial, and Kain's lance passed right through him. A red and black portal appeared behind Kian and a sword shot out of it, so he spun to parry, twirling his lance to deflect it. When he turned back around he planted his back foot and stabbed backhandedly at the Emperor. The monster twisted out of the way, countering with Knight's Blades. The blue spears jabbed at him out of thin air around the two and one hit its mark, piercing Kain's abdomen. He flew back, ricocheting off the wall and falling to a knee on the floor.

"Kain!" Cecil yelled. He jumped up behind the Emperor, switching to Dark Knight in midair. Cloaking himself in black and purple flames he flipped and dropped on the Emperor's back. He hissed in pain as the flames licked at the skin of his new arms, staggering forward. Kain tried sending a spiral of wind t him, quickly charging in its wake. While the Emperor waved his staff and hardly deflected it, Kain speared the side of his knee. He crumpled to his hands and knees, crying out in pain, and flicked his wrist, knocking Kain aside. Rosa drew and shot at his exposed back as soon as she had the chance, and the arrow hissed and embedded into this shoulder.

Running in next, Cecil stabbed at his right side, and the Emperor twisted on him, springing up and spinning around. A shock wave of flames shot out from his form, knocking Cecil back. He rolled head over heels, coming to stop on his stomach. Teleporting directly above Cecil, the Emperor picked up his food to stomp down on his head, but luckily Cecil rolled out of the way. He followed up by throwing three sharp ice crystals at Cecil. A piece rocketed into his hip and knocked him off balance, so the Emperor raised his hand and threw Cecil hard into the tall back rest of the throne. His face twisted in pain as he slipped down the wall. The Emperor ripped Cecil's spear from his hand and Cecil landed on his back on the seat, weight of his legs flipping him over one of the arms.

The Emperor decided to abandon Cecil for Rosa. He turned over his right shoulder and HURLED Cecil's spear at her. She dove to the side, and the Emperor charged at her. Gasping in fear, she backpedaled at the sight of his towering form rushing at her, and shot as many arrows at him as she could before he converged on her. She got four shots off, three he swatted away with Chaos' arms. The last managed to graze his face before he reached her.

He backed her into the wall of the confined space and she pressed her back to the cold hexagonal barrier, drawing her knife with her right hand. Stabbing his staff at her like a spear, she wormed out of the path and slashed at his arm, grabbing his wrist, and cutting the Emperor's main forearm. He dropped the staff and she kicked it away and stabbed down at his thigh, the same leg Kain stabbed earlier. The knife easily plunged to the hilt into his skin and he roared in pain, drawing away and favoring his leg. Blood spurted out and Rosa charged him, but he straightened up and grabbed her arms. She brought her foot up to kick him away, but before she could one of his second arms clenched its fist and threw a heavy punch into her stomach. She leaned away, absorbing most of the blow, but it still knocked the wind out of her. He shoved her away and a Thundercrest erupted underneath her. The shocks shot straight up through her foot into her, and she collapsed. They were so strong she could FEEL them jumping from nerve ending to nerve ending, and for each one she twitched uncontrollably. She couldn't scream, couldn't even breathe, and she felt her burning heart skip beats in a manner of seconds that stretched into hours.

After what felt like forever he relented and she went limp, sucking in the rasping breaths she couldn't take. He teleported directly beside her, bending down and stabbing his sharp claws straight into her side, under her ribcage. She screamed, tears lined her eyes from the searing pain but she couldn't move, frozen by each razor-sharp, stinging tip scratching and cutting her muscle.

He leaned down at her and sneered into her face. "Don't worry," he taunted. "I don't want to kill you YET!" He ripped his hand from her, his claws covered in blood to the first knuckle. Blood immediately began to leak from her side, dark and wet, and she pressed a hand there, shallowly panting in fatigue and discomfort.

Kain and Cecil recovered while he bent over Rosa, and the two of them nodded to each other. They ran in together, and the Emperor spun, shooting a barrage of Fire spells at them. The two of them weaved and dodged in and out of them, charging him full-force. He put a round shield all around himself in a block but Kain Jumped straight at him. He burst through it, slamming his shoulder into the Emperor's wounded chest. He stumbled back but his wounded leg collapsed beneath him and he dropped, falling awkwardly on his side. Cecil executed a Lightning Rise on him, jerking his spear into one of Ultimecia's black crow wings. He hefted with all his might, dragging the Emperor up from the ground and into the air in a series of aerial spirals. From the ground Kain threw his lance, stabbing through the Emperor's shot shoulder, the first real blow dealt against him. It flew out of his arm, slicked with black blood and fleck with flesh. Cecil caught it with a wet squelch, and he channeled his power into both weapons, charging them until they glowed white-hot. Spinning in the air, he slashed both of them away from him in an X. A white wave of energy arced seamlessly off both blades and careened into the Emperor's chest, slamming him to the ground.

While they fought, Rosa painfully drug herself to her feet, keeping her arm pressed against the nasty, jagged, uneven wound to dull the pain. She could feel the hot blood pour from her onto her arm every time she moved, but she ignored it, staring in dismay at their work. It felt like they had been battling forever, and all he had to show for it was a cut arm and a stabbed through let and shoulder. Glancing blows dealt on both sides. Almost like they were playing with each other, tip-toeing around each other in an attempt to set the other up perfectly for one final be-all-end-all attack. He picked away at them and they barely got one hit on him.

As if to accent that the Emperor crawled to his feet, growling in rage at them. He touched his wounded shoulder, gently poking his fingers into the thick hole. He gasped and tensed in pain and withdrew, glaring daggers at all of them.

"Cecil! Kain! To me!" she said, drawing her staff. Unless the pain faded she probably couldn't use her bow anyway. Cecil understood, running over to her for coordinated attacks, and Kain tried to Jump over to them.

The Emperor held up his staff and put a forcefield in Kain's way, blocking him away from them. He fell to the floor, scrambling to his feet in time to dodge a Hyperdrive thrown his way.

"No more child's play," he spat at Kain. He sunk down into the floor; the spot where he disappeared faded away as well. Pain spun around frantically, keeping his lance infant of him in a prepared block. Rosa ran towards him with Cecil, but she smacked into the forcefield and ricocheted off of it. She poked and stabbed at it with her staff, violently trying to pierce through it. It held strong, and she could only press her hands to it and watch as the Emperor attacked.

Without warning a black and red portal appeared under Kain and the Emperor shot out of it, stabbing one of Chaos' flaming swords into his stomach. Pain cried out in surprise, grabbing the blade in shock himself. The Emperor ripped it away, throwing flacks of blood and flesh to the ground and on the forcefield in a gory slash. He carried Kain straight up into the air, spinning and slashing his chest. His armor cracked, and he fell and slammed into he ground with a weak grunt of misery and the Emperor repeated the move, appearing under him and tossing him into the air, shooting orbs of magic from a purple glyph.

"Kain!" Rosa screamed as they shot into hi mad if drawn to a magnet. His body jerked horribly each time they hit, knocking him back and forth dizzily. Pain plummeted down again but before he hit the ground the Emperor shot underneath him for one last blow. He tossed Kain back up into he air and froze him there in a pocket of time. The Emperor cooly touched down and snapped his fingers and copies of his staff appeared around him. He planted each one around Kain, touching the tips to his neck, spine and heart. Cackling, he clapped his hands together.

The tips glowed black and all of them electrocuted Kain, Exdeath's power rapidly draining his. His face twisted in spasms of charges until he went limp inside the pocket of time and he dropped, hitting the floor still smoking. Dead weight.

"No! Kain!" Cecil yelled.

The Emperor dropped the barrier and actually let him run to Kain. He leaned over and saw he was still breathing, but weakly, and bleeding heavily from his chest. "Oh, don't worry," the Emperor assured him. "I won't kill him, either. Remember my little promise?" he asked Rosa. "Now, where were we?" He cast his arm to the side and tossed Rosa back into the wall. Her back slammed painfully into it and her head whipped back, cracking off the hexagons. Her vision went black, flashes, shapes, and stars spotting her vision, and she blinked hard, shutting her eyes from the spinning room. She didn't even realize she was falling over until the Emperor slid towards her, grabbing her shoulders and pressing her back against the cold wall.

He showed her the cut on his arm, holding it over her so the black sludge dripped down her face and on her chest. "Now, look what you've done," he said. "I'll just have to give _you_ some to match!" Two copies of her own knife appeared behind both the Emperor's shoulders. Thinking they were for her throat and heart she sucked in a preparatory breath and stiffened up, shutting her eyes. Suddenly a SEARING pain shot across her face into her jaw and cheek. She opened her eyes in surprise and felt the hot blood leaking down her face. He only grazed her face. "And how about something to match _this_?" he said, jerking his shoulder forward so she could see through the hold. "This hurts!"

Rosa struggled, trying to spin out of his grip and throw him off of her but he aimed a Delta Attack at her. He held her still as the light stabbed into her shoulder, setting her whole arm on fire. He looked her up and down, inspecting his work, frowning in disgrace. "Some of this . . ." he trailed off. He flicked a finger up on Chaos' hand and a small flame flickered to life. He touched it to her new wound and let it sink it. She couldn't bite back the loudest, most pain-filled scream she ever let out. Her skin hissed and charred. A thousand knives skewered her raw, pink, sensitive flesh, and she couldn't think straight. Her legs gave out but he held her up, held the flame to her as it gnawed her flesh over and over and no matter how she twisted, as hard and she tried she couldn't get it to stop. The smell of flesh, her burnt flesh reached her, and she felt the third degree burns harden the skin inside and char the outside black. She shut her eyes and sat frozen in suffering until he pulled away.

"Let's not forget THIS!" he yelled, kicking the side of her knee. He slapped her across the face, making her cut cheek throb like it was trying to scream for itself. Pushing her shoulders down and bending her over, he raised his leg and kneed her shoulder, shooting a violent, torturous ache into her burn. More stars dotted her vision, threatening to make her black out from the pangs, her stomach turned inside of her, threatening to spill its contents. The Emperor didn't give her the chance to black out. He stabbed the bottom of his staff into her other side right above her hip, twisting it. She sucked in a breath through her teeth, but by then the pain wasn't nearly as intense. She dumbly realized that her body was numbing itself. He pulled her from the wall and tossed her to the ground, chest smiling into the rock-hard floor.

He spun on Cecil and drifted away from her to attack him while she got up.

" _If . . . I get up . . ._ "

She tried to hold herself up but the second she moved her burnt shoulder it reawakened her nerves and ached so badly she froze, clutching at it and scrunching up her face until it faded. She contemplated just laying there, leaving this world and herself, her friends, and all she worked for, to perish. To fade away along with her strength. But she heard the sounds of Cecil's battle cries and the explosions from the Emperor's magic and she knew she couldn't do that. Just leave him. As long as she could stand, she would stand against him. Against everything he stood for. If there was a chance she could stop him she would, until her strength faded. Curse her and her morales.

Keeping her arm as still as possible she slowly drew her legs up underneath her, crying out when her wounds bent on her sides. She stood her staff up and leaned heavily on it, using her one arm and weak, shaky legs to stand. She braced herself on her staff against a head rush, and as soon as the room stopped spinning, she focused her eyes on the battle.

Cecil was blocking a constant barrage of arrows, and they were pushing him slowly tot he ground as his block broke. She groaned inwardly but channeled a blue Protect spell towards him rather than a green Curaga at herself. The rose on her staff glowed blue and the barrier solidified itself between him and the attacks. She quickly followed up with a Holy Blast, conjuring orbs of white radiance around her. They swirled around her, charging up and lighting the whole Edge of Madness before shooting at the Emperor. It shot into his chest and knocked him back, and he grunted in surprise and pain

"Rosa!" Cecil yelled happily. "Holy Blade!"

She nodded despite the fatigue that made her stagger, and as Cecil ran at the Emperor she channeled another Holy spell, this time sending her power into his spear. He leapt from his feet and flew at the Emperor, stabbing at each of Chaos' arms as he flew past. The Emperor instinctually blocked with all four arms, so Cecil took a low grip on the spear, next to the blade. He put a slash down on of the Emperor's forearms, shooting by him faster than light. He circled around and around, cutting across both arms again and again. Back and forth, a white but in the air, putting slashes all up and down the second pair. Black blood oozed from the slashes, his arms trying to block, but in one final slash down the Emperor's front, he drug his spear down the Emperor's collar bone to his stomach, freezing in place to put four well-placed jabs right into the joints of his bare arms. They dropped weakly to his sides and Cecil landed next to Rosa, twirling his spear in triumph.

"RrrrrrRRRAAAUUUGH! ENOUGH!" he screamed. He braced his legs and held his staff horizontally out in front of him. "BEHOLD! ALL THE POWERS OF DISCORD GRANTED TO ME BY CHAOS!" His form began to glow red and black and he began to grow, slowly harnessing Chaos' power to use his final attack. Chaos' EX Burst.

Cecil gasped, realizing what he was doing. "No you DON'T!" he yelled. He quickly summoned a small glyph and shot Searchlight beams in his face, blinding him. He dodged behind the Emperor and stabbed at his back, and the Emperor wormed out of the way like he hoped he would. Cecil's spear stabbed perfectly in between his bottom arm and side. He twirled his spear, wrapping the Emperor's Chaos arm's elbow around it painfully.

The Emperor froze in pain, writhing to try and alleviate it, but Cecil jerked his spear up and snapped the arm at the elbow. It dropped and hung uselessly at his side. Rosa's heart swelled in pride at the Emperor's gut-wrenching scream of pain. With a burst of power and adrenaline she shook her bow off of her shoulder and planted an arrow on it, aiming for the Emperor's bicep. She sneered through he pain of drawing her bow, of the stinging tear in her sides, shoulder pleading in protest, and took careful aim, calming her rampant breathing.

She fired and the arrow shot to the plume through flesh and muscle, the perfect shots she remembered, giving Cecil time to run to his other side. He grabbed Chaos' right arm and pulled it behind him, using it as leverage to plant both feet on his broken Ultimecia wing. He extended his whole body and Chaos' arm, and with a chop of his spear he shattered the arm at the elbow. Rosa heard the sickening _POP_ and winced _for_ him.

"AAAAUGH! NO!" he screamed. He couldn't cradle the arms so they hung, dead weight against his sides. Cecil quickly tried to scramble away, but the Emperor held his palm up to Cecil. "TIME!" he howled, multiple voices clipped and tight with pain. Cecil froze where he was, stuck mid-step. Rosa saw his breath catch in his lungs. She saw his eyes widen in alarm and fear. She remembered the pins and needles of being stuck herself.

Letting out a thin chuckle that morphed into Kefka's full cackle he spread his arms, rising from the ground. His staff left his grip and spun slowly above his head, making his form glow bright purple as it glowed. A triangular purple glyph with three spheres at the points appeared beneath his feet like a Satanic ritual. Crackles and pillars of lightning shot out from his staff and connected to the glyph and as it charged, the whole thing glowed brighter and brighter.

"Heavens," he chanted, closing his eyes and raising the griever's head to the sky. He curled up, bringing his arms and legs close to channel the energy, grunting in exertion. Finally he uncurled in a blast of power, and a Starfall fell from the sky. But instead of tiny meteors, in a twist of irony he had it rain copies of Rosa's elegantly jeweled knife and Kain's lance. Cecil crossed his arms over his head but the knives shot down at him, impaling into his arms, the top of his shoulders, puncturing his back, his legs. He was skewered through the armor and before he could even begin to bleed, the final comet descended from the sky on top of him. It was Ultimecia's Great Attractor and it crashed into him, knocking him unconscious. Blood leaked from his head and body, pooling around him and staining his immaculate, pristine white armor.

"NO!" Rosa wailed, running over to him. She knelt down and turned his face towards her, afraid to touch him anywhere else. He was broken, bleeding from a thick cut on his head from hitting the ground. He probably had broken ribs and he was bleeding, badly, but not fast enough to immediately kill him. She pressed her ear to his chest and heard his ragged, labored breathing. He was alive. But he was broken. She went to pull the knives from his side to let him lay against the ground, but she was too afraid of him bleeding out in her arms. She couldn't. What if she lost him?

Oh, GODS!

She was NOT going to lose him. She was not going to lose Cecil. She was not going to lost this battle. She was NOT going to loser her memory, all she fought for, all THEY fought or. She was NOT going to let herself, Kain, and Cecil die disgraced, defeated.

She KNEW she needed to end it. Now. She looked at the Emperor, bent over, leaning on his staff, too, and she let her HATRED for EVERYTHING he did to her and her friends fester. She let her anger at Cosmos grow, her rage at Cecil for the cycles, the lies, the fire in her that HATED all of it, grow inside her heart until she felt ready to tear into her own skin and rip it from her chest. She pictured herself doing it to HIM. To the Emperor. She had to end it. NOW, NOW, NOW!

The Emperor looked up and saw her running at him and straightened up quickly, backhanding her so hard she saw stars and tears sprung her eyes. She staggered away from him, instinctually pressing a hand to her stinging, throbbing cheek. He stomped angrily towards her and she ripped her knife from her belt, waiting for him to get close enough. When she heard his steps feet away she spun, sloppily slashing for his throat. He easily leaned away, the hiss of the blade inches from his thick neck. She followed through with a second desperate, backhanded slash at his chest and he hopped back again. Spinning around to face him, Rosa charged him, diving into his stomach. She tackled him to the ground and rolled on top of him, raising the knife above him, at the same time digging her knees into his elbows, pinning his dead arms to the ground and trapping him. The jewels winked and glinted in the dull yellow light, shining with pride like they were BEGGING her to end it and she gladly obliged, stabbing it for his heart. She had him. This was it. Time slowed down, and it wasn't his doing. The point screamed through the air in a beautiful and perfectly calculated arc for his pectoral, and his eyes widened in fear. The seconds stretched into minutes into hours. Her own eyes flared in delight at his terror and peril.

He blindly threw his arms up, and luckily his forearm smacked into hers in a life-saving block. Rosa's temper flared, realizing she hand't already killed him, and with a snarl of rage she pressed her left hand to the hilt, pushing with all her might. The tip slowly crawled towards his chest, trembling from the resistance. His face curled up in a pained sneer, eyes flicking crazily from the knife tip, now centimeters away, to the beastly shine of sheer vengeance in Rosa's eyes.

The knife touched his chest and Rosa leaned all her weight on it, but the Emperor chuckled thinly and disappeared, dropping her to the floor.

She heard the _whoosh_ of him reappearing, and before she could react he grabbed a fistful of her hair, hauling her up into the air. She went to slash over her head at his wrist, but he flicked a hand to the side, ripping her knife from her hand. Holding her there frozen with a spell, he made her watch him cloak her knife and fire and dark, Void energy, aiming it at Cecil, collapsed on the ground, trying to get up.

Any fire she had in her was gone in a flash leaving her cold and achy and afraid. "NO!" she screamed, struggling as best as she could, but he curled his fist and punched her burnt shoulder. She bit her lip, stiffening in pain, and he pointed at Cecil. The knife flew at him and stabbed into his spine. The fire melted away his armor and it morphed into electricity. She watched Cecil jerk and scream and writhe helplessly, then the Void he channeled started draining his power. The Emperor spun her away from him and jerked her head back, straining her neck to look at him.

"It's time," he panted, "to end this." He picked her up and threw her into the wall and she hit on her stomach, knocking the air our of her. "You will FINALLY know the death you've deserved since you go there!" he said. He used his two good, remaining arms and clasped his hands He closed his eyes, focusing the rest of the energy he had into his last attack. From between his hands a huge, black, nothingness began to swell. It pulsed with every spell Kefka owned, burning in some places, crackling in others, and breathing ice. It was all the Time Ultimecia acquired, all amassing together into one tangible glob, gathering to be compressed into nothing. It was the Void, sucking away anything and everything. He was going to end EVERYTHING in that last smash of power.

Rosa knew she had to stop him. As little as this world meant to her, she had to save it If only for her friends' lives.

She pulled her bow from her back, flipping it so the curve arched away from her. She thought of Cecil. She thought of his patience, his love, his strength, his anger. She thought of Kain and his regret, Warrior and his commitment, Bartz's cheerfulness, Tidus and Zidane's aloofness, all of the people that had touched her life since she was called. Golbez's selflessness. Onion's childlike innocence. All people of the light. All worthy of purity and life. She let every good, powerful emotion she could muster shove away and attack the hatred and murderous ravings that learned to thrive inside her. She let them fill her up, making her swell and glow with it. A powerful, white eminence surrounded her, and she harnessed it, smiling slightly as she channeled it straight into her bow until it shone as bright as Warrior's light. It pushed back her injuries, her doubts, her fears, from her mind, and with a last surge of power, she attacked.

She brought her legs up and kicked off the wall, angling back towards him like she was diving into a pool, head back, back arched perfectly like a cat. She shot right towards his face, arching exactly over his spell. It brushed against her back, sending white-hot tingles down her whole body, but she barely acknowledged it.

Rosa slipped her arms around his head, fitting the front of his neck perfectly in the crook of the handle of her bow.

Resting the ends of the bow on his shoulders, she did a handspring off of them, hurling her legs around over his head, using the momentum of her flip to snap his head back and lift him off the ground. He flipped around _her_ and she body slammed him straight into the ground. His arm landed awkwardly beneath him and she heard it snap; the Emperor choked out a gurgled cry. He sat up impulsively, eyes glazed and dizzy, and Rosa kissed the wedding ring on her finger, pulling back and punching him square in the jaw, knocking him back.

Pulling the string, she formed an arrow made purely of holy magic, aiming it at his throat.

"I don't think so," she said. "The light will always prevail." He glanced panicked up at her, chest heaving, but no breath entering his lungs. "You should be proud of _something_ ," she continued. "You were the first person who WE thought deserved to die."

He moved like he was going to cast something but she let the string slip through her fingers. The arrow squelched through his throat and the arrow tip _pinged_ off of the floor.

He gagged, clutching at his throat and the shaft, staring wide eyed at Rosa. Blood poured out through his mouth, and with all the air he had left he choked out, "UNG-UNGHHHH . . ." The rest of his cry trailed off, no sound, just air rasping through the hold.

He fell limp.


	64. Chapter 63

An explosion of gold light shot out form the Emperor's form, so bright and so loud Rosa had to turn away. A blast of air and bursts of power flared around her and shot wildly into the sky and air, banging and fulminating off the walls. It blew Rosa back and she hit the wall where it met the stairs. Her hair whipped around her and stung into her face and cut, and she did the best she could to shield herself weakly.

She heard dull tapping behind her but it was far away against the garish glow and her muted ears as her vision whited out as she slowly passed out. Dully, weakly, she looked over her shoulder and saw Firion pounding frantically on the barrier. All around him and the others were shards of different colored crystals and bodies. They fought manikins.

He was screaming something, pounding, pounding on the barrier but she couldn't hear him. It numbly frustrated her so she turned away to watch the spectacle before her instead.

The entire sky shifted colors, changing from ashen black to a magnificent gold, matching the sparkling color of the power absorbing the Emperor. A gentle, wispy cloud formed under his mangled, bloody body and he sunk down into it slowly. Gone forever. She saw Cecil himself start to glow, and his still form seemed to sweep in and out of her vision. He was fading too.

She started crawling over to him, panic-stricken, to try and save him, but the last of her strength failed her. The white in her vision wouldn't go away. It was fading to black. She saw the ground come towards her face.

 _"Rosa . . . Rosa . . ._ Rosa . . . Rosa," a voice gently prodded.

Her irritated, crusted eyes snapped open and she tensed, expecting all the pain and fatigue to ram her like a chocobo.

Nothing came.

She looked around in confusion and took in her surroundings.

Was she at . . . Order's Sanctuary? No. It was exactly like Order's Sanctuary, only everything was different shades of gold. The water was transparent gold, a deep, rich shade. All the formerly white pillars and walls were a more bright, solid shade. Even the bands, the Quickmove bands, were ethereal gold.

"Rosa?" the voice asked again.

She jumped and looked around, and on the ground she saw all of her comrades, even those who died, lying in the water. She ran over to Cecil, aware of the refreshing healing tingle that ran peacefully to her body. He was breathing. And healing.

 _They all were_.

She looked towards where the voice was and she saw Cosmos sitting on her throne, smiling warmly. Dress gold, hair, crown, eyes, make up, all gold. Beautiful.

"Am . . . am I . . . are we . . . ?" she asked trailing off. She didn't care about Cosmos. She was more amazed and surprised than upset. Besides, there was no anger left for her. She spent it all on the Emperor.

"Dead?" she finished for Rosa. "No. Healing," she said with a wider smile. "It's the end of a cycle. Normally, Shinryu would be draining your powers for revival. But you defeated the Emperor. When he faded into the Rift forever . . . so did Chaos."

"Which means . . . he can't come back?"

Cosmos nodded. "You broke the chains. You stopped the cycle. I was granted absolute victory." Her voice cracked and when Cosmos raised her head, Rosa saw that a tear slipped down her cheek. "We are free."

"Shinryu won't revive us anyway?" she asked skeptically. She couldn't let the relief flood in yet. She was too-hardened by this world.

"There's no one left to fight," she said. "Chaos is dead, his warriors, faded. There is no conflict left to feed power into him. He abandoned this world, with nothing left to give him. He gave me a gift in your favor, though," she told Rosa.

She gestured to the others, sleeping in the healing water. "Your power?" Rosa asked.

Cosmos nodded. "A fraction of his. All who died are to be revived, and before I fade, he tasked me with sending you all home." Her eyes shut in bliss and her shoulders heaved as tears of joy spilled from her lustrous golden eyes.

For the first time in forever she let a real, genuine smile cross her face. "Home," she repeated.

Her friends. Edge, Lydia, Palom, Porom, Cid, Edward, Kain.

Her family.

Her kingdom.

Her husband.

Pride, happiness, safety, peace. Their light tugger her heart and squeezed it tightly, forcing a tear from her eyes, too. She smiled up at Cosmos and the goddess opened her arms. Rosa ran over in a genuine hug, heart lumping in her throat.

"Thank you," she whispered in Rosa's ear. "Thank you, thank you. We are free. We are _finally_ free. Thank you." Rosa's shoulders heaved and she cried tears of absolute happiness with Cosmos. They stayed like that, in blessed relief, in unburdened, unadulterated joy until Cosmos gently kissed the top of Rosa's head, pulling away.

Rosa wiped her eyes and Cosmos asked, "Are you ready?" She ran over to Cecil and grabbed his hand, then Kain's. They would go back together. She nodded.

"Baron is in excellent hands. May all you hope for in this life be so."

A feeling of weightlessness, and Rosa's eyes shut in surprise.

She opened her eyes to the sound of birds, and the harsh splash of a waterfall. She immediately knew where she was. Her, Cecil, and Kain's secret place, where they used to go in secret as children. To her left, clasped in her hand was Cecil. To her right, clasped in her hand was Kain.

She happily shut her eyes and rested her head back on the lush grass.

This was an eternity she would willingly spend.

This was the eternity she would voluntarily fight for.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright! So here it is! Thanks so much to anyone who follows/favorites this, and thanks to anyone who'll leave a review of this!**

 **-Keyblader41996**


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